


The Lindworm Prince

by horns4loki (ArtyGirl68)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Breeding Kink, Brothels, Bulge Kink, Come Eating, Come Swallowing, Depression, Double Anal Penetration, Fisting, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Graphic description of death of an elderly person, Hand Jobs, Homophobia, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Sex, M/M, Masturbation, Mentioned gangrape, Mentioned suicide, Minor Character Death, Monsterfucking, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Physical Abuse, Prostitution, Rimming, Rough Sex, Safewords, Slow Build, Suicidal Thoughts, Tail Sex, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:02:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 65,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22482256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtyGirl68/pseuds/horns4loki
Summary: Young Thor travels to Utgard with his father for the first time and meets Loki, the Lindworm Prince for the first time.
Relationships: Fandral/Thor (Marvel), Loki/Thor (Marvel)
Comments: 159
Kudos: 169





	1. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young Thor travels to Utgard with his father for the first time and meets Loki, the Lindworm Prince for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this all came about from a post in a gc about a Swedish fairytale about a prince who was born as a lindworm (which is like a wyvern) due to his mother meddling with fairy magic to help her conceive. The lindworm marries a peasant girl who figures out a way to make him become human, and we were all like"What if..."
> 
> What if, indeed.....

When Thor was but a tiny lad, his father, Odin, a prosperous freeholder with many swine, came home from the king's capital with terrible news. Queen Laufey was desperate to produce an heir so King Farbauti would not put her aside for barrenness. She had sought the advice of a fairy to conceive, and conceive she did- bearing twins, even! However, because of fairy magic gone astray, the eldest son was born a lindworm, while the youngest was a beautiful, healthy human boy. Some of the royal councillors tried to convince the queen that the unlucky eldest son should be put out into the wild to live his life as a true lindworm would, but the queen refused, saying that no one would separate her from her child. Other darker rumors claimed that the king was making her keep the child as a punishment for consorting with fairies. But regardless of the real reason, Prince Loki grew up in an old, unused part of the palace where few people went. His silks and tempers were legendary, and only his mother and a handful of devoted servants dared to brave his room and his wrath. Little did they know that one day, someone would come that would change Prince Loki's life forever...

Each year in the fall, Odin sent a tithe of his swine to the king as required by law. As Thor grew older, he begged to accompany his father on the yearly trip. For many years, his wish was denied, but his fourteenth birthday saw him riding bravely at his father's side on his sturdy mountain pony, the piglets and hogs they brought with them grunting and squealing in the straw-filled cart driven by two of Odin's doughty servants. 

As they entered the city, Thor marvelled at his first sight of the walls of the king's city. His father's freehold was a long low building with a thatched roof and strong timbers; here, the cut stone walls soared high in the air above Thor's head. Armored men vigilantly watched over the battlements clad in gleaming armor, and Thor was immediately taken by the idea of being one of those guards some day. 

As they led the wagon into the royal stables, a harried servant met the wagon at the gate. "Greetings, Master Odin. If it's not too much trouble, could you bring one of the larger piglets and come with me? The prince is... hungry."

Odin paled slightly, but bowed his head and dismounted. As he went to chose the best of the piglets to offer the prince, Thor whispered, "May I come along, Father?" Before Odin could reprimand him for his brashness, the servant stepped closer, looking him over.

"What is your name, brave one?" the servant asked, smiling at his boldness.

Thor straightened up proudly in his saddle. "I am Thor, son of Odin. I wish to help bring my father's gift to Prince Loki," he announced, puffing his thin chest out.

The servant inclined his head politely. "I am Eirik, son of Einar, chief attendant to Prince Loki. Very well, Thor, son of Odin, you may accompany us to the prince's chambers-on one condition. Whatever you see there, you must not show fear, do you understand? The prince hates it and often strikes out if he can scent that you are afraid. It can be dangerous." 

Nodding in agreement, Thor dismounted and took the heavy piglet from his father. It thrashed and squealed angrily, bound feet vainly attempting to kick out and find freedom, but Thor was a strong farm lad, despite his small size, and he held the struggling piglet tightly to his chest as they entered the palace. 

They followed Eirik along a dimly lit corridor that seemed almost unused after the initial bustle they had observed when they first entered the palace. At the end of the hall was a plain wooden door, banded with iron. Taller than the guard's head, the door was made of thick oak planks that looked like it could withstand a battering ram; unlike the other doors in the palace, however, there were no carvings or decorations, making it appear out of place amid the gilded opulence of the rest of the palace. 

Thor glanced up at his father's face and saw a bead of sweat running down his cheek. He's afraid, Thor realized incredulously. How horrible can it be? Thor was secretly delighted to finally see the so-called cursed prince, for he loved snakes and often picked them up on his father's land to admire their beautiful colors and scale patterns. He was positively bursting with questions, but common sense and civility, coupled with the threat of Odin's belt, kept the questions trapped behind his teeth so as not to embarrass his father or get himself kicked out of the palace. 

As they neared the door, Eirik looked gravely at Thor and motioned for him to come closer. "Do you wish for your father to come with you?" Thor shook his head, and the servant continued. "Before you proceed into the room, announce your name and gift to the prince. Then, put the piglet down on the star sigil on the floor. Once the offering is in place, back away slowly towards the door, and do not turn your back on the room. If the prince is displeased for any reason, he may strike out and injure you."

"Is he poisonous?" queried Thor, genuinely curious about the prince's abilities.

"No, but he's large enough now that he can break bones if he strikes hard enough," replied the prince's servant. "And for mercy's sake, don't let him wrap around you. He injured a kitchen girl badly last month doing that."

"Well, if he's as hungry as you say, I'd better get this piglet in to him so he can eat," Thor said briskly, holding the piglet tight to his chest. He couldn't wait to see Prince Loki with his own eyes.

*********

The guard's eyes flickered over Thor's slight form as he walked up to the door with the wriggling piglet in his arms. "Are ye sure about what yer doing, laddie? The prince is no' one tae be trifled with. If he be hungry enow, he might eat ye as well as yer wee pig."

Thor looked up at the guard with a calm, resolute face. His bright blue eyes took in the warrior's massive girth and wild red hair and beard, realizing quickly that his brawn was here specifically here to keep the cursed prince in check, should some unforeseen calamity occur.  
"I am honored to present my father's gift to Prince Loki. If you please, open the door that I may proceed."

The huge man chuckled warmly. "Yer a brave lad. Not many men dare tae look Himself in th' eyes, when the hunger be on him. I'm Volstagg. What d' they call ye, lad?"

"I am Thor, son of Odin. It's a pleasure to meet you, Volstagg." 

Suddenly, a loud thump rattled the door on its hinges, and Volstagg shook his head wearily. "Best I gae ahead and let ye in before he gets in a rare dither." He turned the ornate key in the massive iron lock and heaved the heavy door open just wide enough for Thor to slip through with the wiggling piglet in his arms.

As the door boomed shut behind him, Thor's first impressions of Loki's chambers were of darkness and heat. A large fire roared on a hearth nearly large enough to roast an ox, and the narrow windows were swathed in heavy drapery, creating deep pockets of shadow in the corners of the room. A half-glimpsed pool of water steamed gently at the back of the room, surrounded by large potted plants and hissing braziers. A high earthen hill covered a large section of the floor, making Thor wonder if the prince had made a den in it, but try as he might, Thor couldn't see any sign of the prince nearby. Remembering Eirik's instructions, Thor spoke clearly. "My name is Thor, son of Odin, and I bring you tribute from my family." Looking down, he saw an inlaid pattern on the floor near the center of the room that looked like a starburst. He walked out, laid the piglet down, and began backing towards the door. A slight rustling to his left was all the warning he got before a long emerald and ebony snout appeared out of the shadows, weaving from side to side on a long scaly neck, dainty head crowned by small golden horns. Thor was startled, but instinct told him not to flinch; instead, he made a small bow in the creature's direction. "Greetings, Prince Loki. I am Thor, son of Odin. I hope you're feeling well today." The lindworm cocked his head as if he were listening intently to Thor's words. He cautiously scooted forward, tongue tasting the air, as Thor watched excitedly. He decided that he would try talking to the prince as if he were another boy like himself.

"I hope you like the piglet I brought you. He's one of our best, nice and fat. If you ate cooked meat, I wager he'd roast up nicely, but I suppose he'll taste fine to you the way he is." Thor looked at the lindworm's narrow snout, mentally comparing it to the snakes he was familiar with on his father's land. "Hmmm, I imagine you probably have to squeeze your food first before you eat it. I don't know if I'm supposed to stay in here now, but it won't bother me if you go ahead and eat. Your servant, Eirik didn't really say what I should do if you popped up before I left, but you seem very nice, Your Highness, and your scales are lovely. I've never seen a pattern quite like yours before."

As Thor was speaking, the prince kept inching closer until he was only an arm's length away from his visitor. Thor slowly extended his hand towards the lindworm, who sniffed it cautiously before carefully sliding his head under Thor's fingers. Thor gasped in delight at the feel of the warm smooth scales against his skin. He gently rubbed the lindworm's brow ridges and scratched under his jaw, smiling happily at the prince's acceptance of his touches. 

Behind them, the door to Loki's chamber groaned open and the lindworm swiftly darted back into the shadows. Thor turned around, hiding his disappointment at being interrupted while making friends with the prince.

Eirik's concerned voice echoed through the prince's chamber. "Thor, are you alright?" 

Thor turned to face the worried servant hovering in the doorway. "Yes, Eirik, I'm fine."

The older man smiled, relieved that Thor was unhurt. "Your father and I were concerned when you didn't come back out right away."

"I'm sorry to have worried you. The prince and I were just getting acquainted. He seems quite nice," Thor replied politely. 

Eirik's eyebrows shot up. "Well, maybe you should stay here at the palace and be his companion. He usually drives everyone away with his misbehavior." 

Thor knew that wasn't possible, but he was flattered that Eirik thought he would be a good friend to the prince. "Thank you, Eirik. Sadly, I really can't stay, though I'd dearly love to spend more time with Prince Loki. My father is not a young man, as you know, and he is preparing me to take over our holding one day. I do hope I'll be able to bring the tithe to His Highness next year."

Eirik smiled warmly. "I'm sure Prince Loki would enjoy spending time with you again. You and your father are welcome to dine in the great hall this evening. Perhaps you could even visit the prince in the morning before you leave."

Thor bowed his head gravely. "We'd be honored to accept your hospitality, Eirik. And it would be my pleasure to come say farewell to Prince Loki tomorrow."

******

Although Odin was an early riser, Thor was awake well before his father, keyed up at the thought of getting to see Prince Loki again. He dressed as quietly as he could, not wanting to anger Odin and lose the chance to say goodbye to his new friend. Before he left, he wrote his father a short note explaining that Eirik had invited him back to speak with the prince again. Leaving the note on the table in plain sight, Thor slipped silently from the room and made his way back to the prince's hallway. Apparently Eirik was also an early riser, because Thor had only been waiting a for few minutes before the servant arrived. 

"Good morning, Thor. Does your father know you're here?"

Thor shrugged and smiled innocently. "I left him a note, but as long as I don't dawdle, it shouldn't be an issue."

Eirik hid his own smile behind his hand. "Very well then, let's go in and give your regards to the prince. Volstagg, if you would please?"

The burly guard opened the door for the two of them, and Eirik motioned for Thor to precede him. Looking around, Thor didn't see Loki, so he decided to go ahead and start speaking in the hopes that the prince would make an appearance. "Greetings again, Prince Loki. My father and I must depart for home, but I wanted to come tell you goodbye. I hope I'll see you next year at harvest time."

Eirik was shocked when Loki slid out of the shadows and tucked his snout under Thor's arm like an overgrown puppy. Thor laughed and rubbed the lindworm's neck, scratching the place under his jaw that he had liked so much yesterday. After a few minutes, Thor patted him regretfully. 

"I have to go now, Your Highness. If I'm late, my father may forbid me from coming with him next year." 

The lindworm pulled his head out from under Thor's arm and butted him playfully in the chest. Then he raced off into the shadows at the back of the room, slithering back with something in his mouth. Thor put out his hand, and Loki dropped a smooth green stone into his palm.

"Thank you Prince Loki, " Thor said gravely. He opened the pouch on his belt and put the stone inside. As he pulled his fingers out, they touched sleek wood, and he took out a little carving he had made of his favorite snake all coiled up. Smiling, he held it out to Loki, who took it delicately with his teeth. Thor bowed, saying, "Goodbye Your Highness. Until next year." The lindworm bobbed his head in return, then retreated back into the shadows. Slowly, Thor turned and followed Eirik out of the prince's chamber. Looking back, he smiled and raised a hand in farewell to the glittering green and gold eyes he saw peeking out from under the greenery by the pool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you're curious, Thor is 14 and Loki is 12 as the story begins.


	2. Reflections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and the prince reflect on their feelings about each other after their first meeting.

"So, what did you think of Prince Loki?" Odin asked his son curiously as they started on their way back home. 

Thor grinned excitedly. "I've never seen anything like him. He looks fierce, but he seemed to like me, though. He let me touch his skin, and he felt just like a regular snake. His scale patterns are..."

"Hmmm," mused Odin, breaking into his son's enthusiastic description. "He doesn't seem to be too fond of me, though. There were several years I thought he might try to bite me if it weren't for his servant."

"Maybe he liked that I'm young like him," replied Thor thoughtfully. "And I don't think he gets a lot of visitors, either. I think he's lonely, Father, and no one's taken the time to teach him proper manners. It's not like you just **_know_** everything about how to act, even if you're born a prince. Perhaps I can show him how to behave better if I see him again." Thor paused for breath, then forged ahead. "I'd like to give him the tithe again next year, if you don't mind."

Odin looked at him sharply. "We'll see," was all his father said as they eased their horses into a gentle canter. Thor rode absentmindedly at his father's side, thinking about the lonely lindworm prince and how he could befriend him.

*****************************

"So, what did you think of young Thor, Your Highness?" Eirik asked the lindworm after he was done devouring the piglet Thor had brought to his chamber.

The prince swishes his tail idly on the floor. "He ssseemsss nice. He talksss to me like I wasss hisss friend, not a monssster. I hope to ssse him next year at the tithing. Perhapsss I ssshall teach him how to ssspeak with me."

Eirik stared at him sternly until the lindworm dropped his gaze, ashamed at his boldness. Then, the old servant relented and smiled at the prince. "I think his father wouldn't mind giving him the task again, to be honest, Your Highness. He's a little wary of you, after all. You have tried to bite him more than once, in case you've forgotten. "

Loki shrugged, unconcerned about Odin's poor opinion of him. "I ssshould like it if Thor and I became friendsss, Eirik. He hasss kind handsss like yoursss and Mother'sss."

"We'll see," said Eirik gently as he helped Loki scratch a particularly itchy patch of skin on his back. The prince closed his eyes in contentment, imagining his next meeting with Thor. 


	3. A Wish Come True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor gets injured and learns how to speak with Loki.

The journey to Utgard had started out bad and ended up even worse. The late autumn weather had wreaked havoc on the roads leading to the king's city, one of the best pigs they were bringing to the tithing somehow managed to break a leg and needed to be put down, and tempers were generally short all around. The only person who was remotely cheerful was Thor, and he had the good sense to keep his happiness to himself. 

He couldn't wait to see Prince Loki again! Odin had promised he could take in the tribute pig again, and Thor had made a special gift of his own to give to the prince as well. His mother agreed that the carving of the lindworm wrapped around a plump piglet was very well done, and Thor had painted it to match Loki's scale pattern as best he could. To help keep it safe, his mother had given him an embroidered handkerchief to wrap it in so it would make it through the journey unscathed. Thor liked the handkerchief very much because it depicted brightly colored snakes chasing each other's tails, and he hoped Loki would like it too. He wrapped the bundle inside of his clothes to cushion it as much as possible from accidental damage and kept his bag strapped to his back, fidgeting with the straps to help control his rising excitement as they drew nearer to Utgard.

Eirik was there when their wagon pulled up in the stable yard. He greeted Odin courteously, then turned to Thor. "It's good to see you again, Thor. Prince Loki was hoping you would come to see him again this year."

"Father said I may take the pig in again this year. Which one do you think is best for him?" Thor asked as he dismounted. 

Eirik came to the wagon and looked over their tithe, selecting a plump young pig. "Here, this one will do nicely." One of Odin's men quickly tied its legs and handed it down to Thor. 

Leaving the servants to sort out the rest of the pigs, Thor and Odin accompanied Eirik down the hall to the prince's chamber. Thor was so busy daydreaming about what he would say to Loki that he didn't pay much attention to the pig wriggling in his arms until its tusk dug into his cheek and ripped it open. Thor shrieked and dropped the pig, which was already spattered with drops of his blood. Odin swore and grabbed the pig, while Eirik looked at Thor's injury.

"I'm no healer, but that will definitely need stitches. Thor, it would be best for you to wait out here and let your father and I deliver the pig. You're welcome to come back and see the prince after the healers have taken care of you." Eirik patted his back fondly before he ushered Odin into the prince's chamber.

Though his father would say he was too old for such tears, Thor wanted to cry as his father followed Eirik with the pig in his arms. His chance to see the prince had been ruined! Volstagg, the burly guard he remembered from last time, poured some cold water on his handkerchief and handed it to Thor.

"There laddie, that will help tae stop th' bleeding." the guard said sympathetically.

Thor mumbled his thanks and pressed the cloth to his wound, the cold numbing the pain slightly. 

Suddenly an angry roar came from inside. Volstagg whirled and grabbed his axe. "Stay here, laddie!" he shouted as he threw open the massive door.

Thor had no intention of obeying- his father was in there! _But...why is Loki so angry,_ he wondered as he darted inside after Volstagg. _We brought him a very nice pig this year, even better than last year's. I wonder if Father upset him somehow_? 

The scene that met his eyes was truly bizarre. Prince Loki was hissing angrily and advancing in his father, who was clutching the blood-spattered pig to his chest like a shield. Eirik was yelling at Loki and waving his hands uselessly, while Volstagg was hanging back uncertainly, not wanting to raise steel against his prince. 

_Useless as tits on a boar hog_ , Thor snarled to himself in disgust, dropping his heavy pack on the floor. He dashed in between his father and the prince, just before Loki tried to strike. Though Loki was quick, Thor moved just a little bit faster and grabbed the prince's snout before he was able to bite Odin. He held the lindworm's jaws closed and gave his snout a little shake. 

"What are you doing, Loki? That's my father! If he did something to offend you, I'm very sorry. Please... please... don't hurt him! He means you no harm."

Though he was still making angry hissing noises, all the fight seemed to go out of Loki when Thor grabbed his snout. Hesitantly, his delicate arms came up and patted clumsily at Thor's arms and chest, as if he were trying to reassure himself that Thor was truly there. 

Erick spoke up. "I'm very sorry, Thor. Prince Loki saw and smelled your blood on the pig; since you weren't in the room, he assumed that your father had hurt you somehow."

Thor groaned. "No, Loki, it wasn't my father that hurt me. The pig I was bringing to you cut me with his tusk because I wasn't paying close attention to what he was doing. I'm fine, really I am." He turned to Eirik, who was making sure that Odin wasn't injured. "Why don't you take my father to the healers and make sure he's all right? I'll straighten this out with the prince myself."

"I'm not sure that's wise," Eirik began, glancing over at the lindworm, his snout still trapped in Thor's hands. A sharp glance passed between the prince and his servant, and Eirik's shoulders slumped. "Very well, Thor. I'll send a healer to you once your father has been seen to." He gathered the pig from Odin's shaking arms and set it on the floor before ushering the older man out of the prince's chamber.

Volstagg looked dubiously at Thor. "Are ye sure this is wise, lad? No' that I doubt ye, but when Himself is riled up, people get hurt."

"I'll be all right, Volstagg. You can go back to your post," Thor said confidently.

As the guard reluctantly left, shaking his head dolefully, Thor turned his attention back to the prince. "Now, are you going to behave yourself?" he asked sternly, loosening his grip just a fraction. Loki nodded meekly, his horns glinting in the firelight. Thor released his hold, and Loki slithered backwards out of arm's reach, head bowed in embarrassment. 

Thor quickly relented, dropping to his knees on the cold stone. "It's all right, Your Highness, I know that smelling my blood must have been upsetting for you, but my father would never hurt me. He's getting older and shouldn't be upset like that. Shall I tell him you're sorry?"

Loki slunk forward and plopped his head in Thor's lap, and the boy sighed and scratched around the base of the lindworm's horns. 

"I wish you could talk to me, Prince Loki," Thor sighed, stroking Loki's gleaming scales. Then we could understand each other better and be great friends, right?"

The lindworm raised his head and stared into Thor's eyes for a long moment, slitted pupils wide in the dim light. Slowly, he moved his snout towards Thor's injured cheek, which was still sluggishly dripping blood onto Thor's tunic. His forked tongue flicked out and touched the wound gently, tasting the warm blood oozing from the torn flesh. Thor sat transfixed as Loki then dropped his bloodied snout into his clawed hand and bit at the palm, causing blood to well up between the small scales. The prince extended his wounded hand to Thor, who stared at it, aghast.

"Why did you do that, Loki?" asked Thor huskily. "Is it because of what happened with my father? You don't need to hurt yourself to apologize to me."

Loki shook his head and raised his uninjured hand up to tap Thor's lips and throat, then his bleeding hand.

Thor's brow furrowed, then cleared. "Are you saying you want me to share blood with you? Like an oath? Of safety?"

Frustrated, Loki tapped his lips and throat again, and offered his hand once more.

Although he couldn't understand what Loki was trying to tell him, Thor could tell that the prince had a reason for asking him to taste his blood. Hoping fervently that Loki's blood wasn't actually poisonous, Thor bent his head and licked tentatively at Loki's palm. His blood tingled on Thor's tongue, thick and coppery, tinged with something else that Thor couldn't identify. Above his head, he heard Loki hiss, and a shudder wracked the lindworm's body. Thor tried to raise his head to see what was happening, but Loki's uninjured hand stroked his hair, the gentle touch encouraging him to keep his head where it was, cupped in Loki's palm so he could lap up more of his blood. 

When Thor finally lifted his head, his eyes were drawn to Loki's face hovering just above him. "Are you all right, Prince Loki?" he asked reflexively, not expecting an answer from the lindworm; thus, he was totally shocked to hear a hissing voice reply to him in his head.

"Yesss, Thor, I'm fine."

"What... how... this can't be!" exclaimed Thor, shaking his head in disbelief. 

"It'sss not a trick, Thor. I can ssspeak to thossse who ssshare blood with me," said the voice in his head.

"Share blood?" Thor repeated stupidly, still not able to wrap his head around Loki's revelation. 

"Yesss. It can be sssshared through birth, like my parentsss and brother, or if I tassste sssomeone'sss blood and they tassste mine."

"Who else can hear you?"

"Besssidesss my family? Just Eir of the healersss, my ssservant Eirik... and now you."

"I'm honored, Your Highness." 

"Ssshall we be good friendsss now?" Loki asked shyly. 

"Of course," Thor replied, patting Loki's coils.

They both started as the massive oak door groaned open, admitting Eirik and a young woman dressed in a white robe and carrying a healer's satchel.

"Your Highness, I've brought a healer to look at Thor's wound," announced Eirik, beckoning to the injured boy.

Thor stood shakily, and walked over to the healer. He attempted to bow to her but almost fell over, not realizing how the lindworm's blood magic had drained him. Eirik stared intensely at him as the healer examined his injury, turning his face this way and that. 

"I can stitch your wound easily, but you'll need to take this draught to numb the pain " she commanded, handing him a small silver cup.

Thor drank it down quickly, grimacing at the bitter taste. It worked rapidly on him in his weakened state, causing the healer to swear profusely as Thor swayed and nearly passed out at her feet. Loki's sturdy coils caught him neatly and laid him out gently on the floor. 

"I'm sorry," Thor mumbled as the healer knelt beside him on the floor with her bag of instruments. 

"It's strange how weak you are. You haven't lost that much blood," she mused.

Thor thought fast. "I didn't eat breakfast before I came to see the prince. I guess that's why."

"Perhaps. Now, you'll feel a bit of pressure when I start stitching you up, but you shouldn't feel any pain. Let me know right away if you do. But first, let me clean you up a bit," she said, pouring water from a flask onto a clean cloth and wiping at the drying blood on Thor's cheek. Thor patiently submitted to her ministrations, hoping she'd finish up soon and let him take a nap.

The healer worked quickly, placing four sutures in his cheek and coating them with a strong smelling ointment. "Did the pr... I mean, how did you come to be injured, young man?" the healer asked, wiping her hands with a clean cloth. 

"The pig I was... bringing in... to the prince... caught me with his tusk..." Thor struggled to get the words out, eyelids fluttering as sleep pressed against him relentlessly. Prince Loki shifted his coils, cradling his friend gently and keeping him up off of the cold stone floor. Thor sighed and let sleep claim him, trusting Loki to keep him safe.

The healer looked at Eirik, brows raised in a silent question, but the servant shrugged, saying, "As always, the prince will do as he wills." He offered his hand to help her up from the floor, which she accepted gratefully. As he escorted the healer out, Eirik paused for a moment to look back at the lanky boy and the lindworm curled up together on the floor. A smile brightened his face for a moment, then he composed himself to go seek out Odin and let him know that Thor was doing well and resting comfortably. 

******

Several hours later, Thor awoke to find Loki still coiled around him, unblinking eyes gazing dreamily at the fireplace. When he felt Thor stir, he swung his head around, taking care not to poke him with his horns.

"Ssssleep well?" the prince asked softly, nudging him with his snout.

Thor stretched, wincing as the stitches in his cheek pulled. "Fairly well, actually. I wasn't too heavy for you, was I?"

The prince chuckled. "No, I sssurvived. You're ssso niccce and warm, I've decccided I sssshan't give you back. You must ssstay here and sssnuggle me alwaysss." 

"Ha ha, Your Highness. I wasn't snuggling, I was just sleeping, thanks to you and the healer. Oh, I have something for you, by the way," Thor said, grinning as he crawled over to his pack. Rummaging through it, he found the package he had wrapped so carefully in his mother's handkerchief. He hesitated and glanced over at Loki. "I hope I didn't break it when I dropped my pack earlier." He scooted back over to Loki's side and handed him the bundle. 

Loki unwrapped it clumsily, his claws catching on the soft fabric. As he opened up the last fold, he hissed softly in amazement. " Thisss is lovely, Thor! It looksss jussst like my sssscalesss." He glanced at Thor slyly. "Doesss the pig represssent you, perhapsss?"

Thor's cheeks reddened. "No, of course not! It just shows my family's traditional gift to yours, silly."

The lindworm gave an amused snort. "I wasss jussst teasssing, Thor. It isss a lovely gift. I ssshall treasure it." His expressive brow ridges wrinkled. "Forgive me, I ssshould give you sssomething in return, yesss?"

Thor smiled kindly, stroking Loki's long neck. "But you already have, Your Highness. I mean, I can understand you now, and we can talk about whatever you wish when I come to visit you."

Loki leaned into the caresses, almost purring with satisfaction. "Oh yesss, ssscratch right there! I ssshall enjoy talking with you, Thor. I wisssh I could sssee you more than once a year."

"As do I," Thor agreed heartily. "Perhaps when my brother is a bit older, you can ask my father if I might come stay here for a bit." He laughed, thinking of his naive reactions on his first visit to Utgard. "Maybe I could train to be a palace guardsman. I'm fairly good with an axe already."

"Hmmmm, I ssshall have Volssstagg outssside my door, and you inssside. I ssshall be the sssafessst prince ever," Loki declared, dropping his head back into Thor's lap for more scratching and petting. They sat that way for a long time, talking of many things until Eirik came to summon Thor for dinner.


	4. A Mother's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Queen Laufey and Frigga talk with their sons about friendship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place immediately after Thor and Odin have left for home.

Eirik bowed to the queen. "Good afternoon, Your Majesty. Do you have a moment to talk?"

"Of course," she smiled, setting aside her papers. "What is it, old friend? Has Prince Loki been troublesome today?"

"No, Your Majesty. In fact, I think he's made a friend of his own."

Her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Truly? How did this come about? Sit, Eirik, and tell me all about this person." 

Eirik sat and poured them each a glass of wine. "Well," he started. "His name is Thor…"

********************

Loki looked up as the door to his chamber opened. "Mother!" he exclaimed happily, slithering over to her. 

The queen smiled and embraced her son, nuzzling his snout when he presented it to her. "So, Eirik tells me you have made a new friend."

The lindworm drew back, worried that he had done something wrong in befriending Thor. "Yesss, Mother. I hope it pleasssesss you."

"Of course, my son. I was just surprised to hear it. You've never liked any of the nobles' sons, after all. I was just curious about what makes Thor so different from them."

Loki considered her question seriously. "He ssspeaksss to me asss if I were a perssson and not a dumb beassst. He admired my sssscalesss, and he likes sssnakesss! He'sss not ssscared of me at all. Sssee, he even carved thisss for me," he said proudly, showing the queen the gift Thor had given him.

The queen looked at the carving, noticing how carefully Thor had painted Loki's scales. "He sees you clearly," she said, smiling at her son. Although she knew Loki would never be king, she never regretted keeping her eldest son nearby, even when others had pushed her to abandon him. 

Loki twitched his tail nervously across the floor. "I… ssshared blood with him ssso we could ssspeak together. I'm sssorry I didn't asssk your permisssion firssst. Pleassse don't be upssset."

"Eirik suspected that you had done so when he came to me. I'm not angry, but I hope Thor understands that it is something that should remain…" she paused, looking for the right word.

"Sssecret?" asked Loki.

"Let's just say… private." Frigga smiled at her son. "I shall instruct Volstagg and the servants that they are not to interrupt you when Thor is visiting. How does that sound?"

"I ssshould like that, yesss. Thank you, Mother," the lindworm said softly, pressing his head against her chest to feel her heartbeat.

********************

Frigga narrowed her eyes when she saw Thor's injured cheek.

"It wasn't the prince, Mother, it was the pig," said Thor defensively. 

She looked at the wound carefully with a healer's eye. "Hmmm, it should heal cleanly without much of a scar," she said. "Now, why don't you tell me about Prince Loki? I'd love to hear your perspective on him, Thor. Your father has already told me his thoughts about the prince."

Flustered, Thor took a few minutes to reply. "I think he's very lonely and that's why he acts badly sometimes. He really only sees a few servants, and maybe the healers, and there's a guard on his door in case of, uh, emergencies," he finished haltingly, remembering that the lindworm had actually tried to bite his father over the misunderstanding about his injury. "Maybe if I go and see him each year, I can show him how to behave. You know, be a good example and all that."

His mother's lips twitched as she tried to hold back her laughter. "Just as long as your example doesn't involve catching frogs!" 

Thor blushed at the memory, remembering how long it took to corral the wily frogs that he had brought into the house to show his little brother. "I promise, Mother. I really want to be Prince Loki's friend."

Frigga ruffled his golden hair. "You have a good heart, Thor. I think Prince Loki will be glad to have a friend like you."


	5. Memorable Experiences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Odin's men take Thor out on the town for his 16th birthday. Their idea of fun is not quite the same as Thor's....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: Brothels, prostitution

As Thor headed off with Eirik to deliver the tithe to Prince Loki, Odin handed Rolf a purse that clinked comfortably. 

"Are you sure you want us to do this now? Utgard can get rough at night during Harvest Tithe, especially the taverns." 

"Absolutely, Rolf. Thor should be looking for maidens to chase, not still wandering around in the hills looking at flowers and snakes and listening to his mother tell stories about fairies. Take him out, buy him a few drinks first, then take him to a decent brothel. Get him an older woman that can teach him what he's been missing, not some silly young girl who still has stars in her eyes about love."

Rolf shrugged cynically and tied the purse to his belt, covering it with his tunic. "Well, regardless of whether we end up fighting or fucking, I'm sure it will be a memorable birthday for young Thor this year," he laughed crudely as he swaggered away to tell the other men of the evening's plans. 

Odin sighed, brooding over his son's current inability to find a maiden to woo and wed. He hoped his son's disinterest in the fairer sex would wane after tonight's experiences, and the boy would make him a grandfather soon. Though he'd said nothing to Thor or Frigga, he knew something wasn't right in his lungs. He'd been checked by numerous healers both at home and in Utgard, but none could give him a clear diagnosis of his illness. This meant that he needed to begin delegating more tasks both to Thor and the hired men so he could keep from over exerting himself. _Call me old-fashioned, but all I want is to see my son comfortably settled with a good woman before I die_ , thought Odin morosely. 

*********************************

Thor and his father's men were more than a little drunk by the time they made it to The Scarlet Lily. 

"Another tavern?" slurred Thor, barely able to stand up straight and walk without support.

"Even better than a tavern, boy. Get on in there," growled Rolf giving him a push through the door that almost knocked him arse over elbow into the room.

Regaining his balance, Thor stared dumbfounded at the hedonistic scene unfolding before his eyes. Perhaps a score of women in all stages of undress posed and preened in the main room. Thor tried to avert his eyes from the bare breasts of one woman only to be confronted by the pale naked thighs of another. He felt sick to his stomach from the heat of bodies and the smells of perfume and sex. 

"Why are we here?" he asked Rolf plaintively, hoping he wouldn't vomit in front of all of the strange women.

"Cos you're a man now, Thor. It's time you enjoyed yourself in between a woman's legs," Rolf said heartily, scanning the room for a likely candidate for his master's son.

Thor was appalled at the situation he found himself in. He was no stranger to pleasuring himself in private, but he was truly repulsed by the decadent atmosphere of the brothel. Lust, envy, and greed ruled here instead of love and respect, and it turned Thor's stomach. Underneath the sensual facade of many of the women, he could sense their desperation and fear, coupled with a feeling of powerlessness that Thor knew all too well. He licked his lips nervously, knowing that he dared not reveal his deepest secret here, especially in front of his father's men.

A light touch on his arm made Thor jump. He turned to see a petite red haired woman in a sheer gown standing by his side, looking up at him with big green eyes. 

"Good evening, young master," she said softly. "May I interest you in a drink?"

"Ummmm… I think I'd better not, or I won't be able to walk back to my bed," admitted Thor, keeping his eyes trained on her face.

She smiled up at him, eyes crinkling with mirth. "There are plenty of beds to rest in here for a handsome lad like yourself."

Thor blushed hotly, but before he could answer her, Rolf strolled over and slapped him on the back. 

"Is she your choice then, Thor? Nice tits there, lass," he brayed, ogling her hard pink nipples that were clearly visible through the gauzy fabric. "I'll go pay the house for your time with her. Go on, get going, Thor. We still have to walk back to the palace when you're done fucking her."

Stunned by Rolf's crassness, Thor let the woman lead him up the stairs to a small room nearly filled by a bed. She motioned for him to sit, and he did so, nervously plucking at the linens. 

"First time?" she asked gently, stroking his arm. Thor nodded mutely, and she smiled. "I thought so. That's why I came over to you, you know. I like making a young man's first time special."

"I don't like women that way," Thor blurted out, feeling too tired and sick to pretend any more. 

"Oh," she said, momentarily taken aback. "Well, there isn't that much difference between my mouth and a man's, I'd wager. Why don't you lie back and close your eyes? I don't mind if you think about someone else. Lots of men do, you know."

Thor did as she asked, not resisting as she took off his boots and carefully tugged down his trousers and underdrawers before taking his cock in her practiced hand. He closed his eyes as she stroked him firmly, trying to imagine someone, anyone touching him so intimately. He gasped as she took him expertly into her mouth, teasing him with her tongue as she sucked. _Oh yes, that new man my father took on last week. He has such soft looking lips under his mustache. Maybe his mouth would feel as good as this if I asked him to… ohhhh… I wonder if he would… ohhhh…_ Thor groaned as his climax peaked and the woman swallowed his seed, licking her lips like a cat cleaning its whiskers.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked, a trace of smugness in her voice.

"I… uhhhh… thank you, mistress," he said shakily, propping himself up on his elbows. He looked down into her emerald eyes, and for a moment, they reminded him very much of Loki's. He shook his head drunkenly, very confused that he would be thinking about the prince at a time like this.

She laid a soft hand on his thigh. "I won't tell," she promised, patting his leg gently. "Whoever your lover is in the future will be a very lucky man." She ran her finger over his spent cock with a lascivious grin. "I wish you all the best, young man."

Thor smiled back crookedly. "I thank you for your understanding, mistress. I'd best get back to my father's men now." He struggled back into his pants and stood up. She knelt and helped him back into his boots. As she stood up, he gave her a small peck on the cheek.

"Good night," she said softly as she opened the door. "Safe travels to you."

"Thank you, mistress," replied Thor as he left to rejoin Rolf and the others, groaning internally at the thought of the long, chilly walk back to the palace.


	6. In Vino, Veritas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor visits Loki again after his night out with his father's men

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drunken confessions and angst...

Thor wandered down the darkened hall towards Loki's chamber, humming softly. Volstagg looked up in surprise, noting Thor's mussed hair and clothing. As Thor drew closer, the guard could smell the alcohol fumes radiating from the young man's breath and clothes.

"Thor, what are ye doing back here, lad? 'Tis a wee bit late tae be visitin' with Himself, ye ken," said Volstagg with a disapproving frown.

Thor pulled himself together and offered the guard a wobbly bow. "Today is my birthday, friend Volstagg, and my father's men took me out in your fair city to celebrate. Since I couldn't take Prince Loki out with me, I brought the prince back a little treat so he can join in the festivities," Thor declared grandly, waving a battered turkey leg in front of Volstagg's nose.

Volstagg relented with a chuckle. "All right lad, but dinnae stay too late. Yer bound tae leave early tomorrow, if I know yer Da."

Thor bowed extravagantly to the guard, nearly falling over on his face. He righted himself with a few choice curses, then sailed on in to Loki's room.

"Thor! You're back!" the lindworm exclaimed happily, slithering out from his favorite hiding place by the pool. As he neared his friend, Loki sniffed hard, gagging at the unfamiliar smell of alcohol. "Godssss, Thor, you sssmell hideousss," he groaned, waving his scaly arms around in a futile attempt to dispel the stench.

"Sorry, Loki, my father's men wanted to take me out to celebrate my birthday. It is customary to do so, you know. 'Specially this one," he hiccuped.

"I had no idea Thor! Why didn't you tell me this morning? I would have done something. What do you usually do for birthdays? I've never really celebrated mine," the prince confessed.

"Hmmmm... well usually, my mother makes a special meal and a cake, we... wait, you've never celebrated your birthday?" Thor was appalled on Loki's behalf. Even though his family wasn't particularly wealthy, his parents had always made Thor and his brother feel special on their birthdays.

"No, I'm something of a dissssappointment to my fath...uh, family, remember?" sighed Loki. "But Hilda makesss me ssspecial meat piesss and Eirik ussssually visssitsss with me, and my mother alwaysss comesss. It'sss not ssso bad," he said defensively, noticing Thor's horrified look.

"Gods, Loki, I wish I were here for your birthday. We'd have so much fun! Next year, I'll bring some... " Thor babbled.

"Don't be sssilly, Thor," the prince interrupted, bumping his friend with his snout. "You jussst being here isss alwaysss gift enough," 

Thor threw his arms around Loki in a rough hug and planted a wet kiss on his snout. "That's sweet of you to say, Loki. Here, I brought you something. " He waved the turkey leg under the prince's nose.

Loki sniffed the meat appreciatively before he grasped it with his teeth, being careful not to graze Thor with his sharp teeth. He made short work of the treat, gnawing on the bone a bit before tossing it into the fireplace.

"Ssso, what isss ssso ssspecial about thisss particular birthday, Thor?" asked the prince, eyes bright with curiosity.

Thor ducked his head in drunken embarrassment. "Well, since I'm sixteen now, I'm considered of age to be a man. Old enough to be wed and all that nonsense."

Loki felt a pang of distress in his belly. He didn't want Thor to wed someone! What if his spouse told Thor he couldn't visit the palace anymore? His tail twitched anxiously, imagining a life without Thor's visits.

"I mean, my father's men thought it was high time I... you know... had a woman," Thor confessed, cheeks pink. "So after we had some drinks, they took me to a brothel and..."

"What's a brothel?" Loki interrupted. He'd never heard that word before.

"Ummmm, it's a place where men can go and pay to...uh...," Thor rubbed the back of his neck, not sure how much Loki knew about sex.

"To do what? Just say it, Thor. Surely it can't be that bad."

"To...uh...mate," muttered Thor, making a vulgar gesture with his hands.

"Ohh," said Loki. Mating. He'd seen a laundry girl and one of the guards doing that from his window one day. She had bent over a low wall with her skirt pulled up around her waist, exposing her bare buttocks to the guardsman. He had pulled something out of his trousers and stood behind her, pumping his hips. He hadn't seen how it all ended because Eirik had come up behind him to see what he was looking at. Once he saw what was going on outside, Eirik had shut the drapes, telling him that princes had more important things to do than spy on people fornicating.

"I.... didn't really want to go," Thor sighed. "I'm just not really interested in women like that. But you can't tell anyone that, Loki. I'd be in so much trouble. Promise me!" he cried passionately, grabbing Loki's clawed hands tightly.

Loki winced at the pressure on his delicate bones, but he didn't pull away. "I promissse, Thor. I won't tell a sssoul. Ssso, if you're not interessssted in women for mating, who would you ssseek to mate with then?" he asked shyly.

Thor released his hands and plopped down on the floor. Loki followed suit, winding himself loosely around his friend like a nest. "Hmmm... well, there is someone. A new man that my father just hired. He's a bit older than me, but he doesn't treat me like I'm a foolish boy... uhh, he's just really kind and has a wonderful smile. I think maybe he might like me, but I'm afraid to say something. If I'm wrong about him and he goes to my father about it, that would be bad. Very, very bad."

Loki was crushed at Thor's revelation. Of course, a young man as sweet and handsome as Thor would easily be able to find a lover, but... It still hurt to hear that Thor had set his heart on someone that wasn't Loki, would never be Loki... The prince sighed heavily, feeling the weight of his own secret like a stone inside of his chest.

"What's wrong, Loki?" Thor asked, stroking his brow ridges. The prince leaned into his touch, wishing he would never stop that tender caress that brought him so much comfort.

"Did I tell you that my mother sssent her advisssorsss to ssstudy lindwormsss recently? Apparently I am the only one who can ssspeak to humansss. All the ressst are like beassstsss. I think ssshe had hoped that there wasss another like me but..." he shrugged sadly. "I sssuppossse I ssshall never mate at all."

"I'm sorry, Loki. I wish there was something I could do," said Thor, giving the prince another boozy hug.

_There isss, but you don't sssee it_... "It isssn't your fault, Thor. It isss jussst the way of thingsss. Here," he said, rearranging his coils to make Thor more comfortable. "Why don't you rest here for a bit before you go back to your room?"

"Thank you Loki, you take such good care of me. You're a wonderful friend," mumbled Thor. He wrapped his arms around the prince and closed his eyes, succumbing at last to fatigue and alcohol. Loki lay there miserably, feeling more alone than he ever had in his life.


	7. Pleasure and Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor acts on his desire for Fandral* and is punished for it. Mama Frigga is having none of Odin's bullshit, though, and a smackdown ensues. Also brigands... fuck those guys >: (
> 
> *this is a one time thing btw. Well, technically two times, but not again after this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: physical abuse, homophobia 
> 
> If you want to skip the abusive part, stop reading after Thor and Fandral are done in the forest.

They had been dancing around one another for weeks now- a lingering touch here, a smoldering glance there- until Thor was just about ready to jump out of his skin with desire. As luck would have it, Odin sent Fandral out with Thor early in the morning to round up some of the pigs for the harvest tithing. They set out from the house together, enjoying the bright colors of the crisp fall day. As soon as they entered the forest, Fandral grabbed Thor's arm, tugging him deeper into the shadows of the trees.

"Come on Thor, I want to show you something," teased Fandral, his hand cool on Thor's sun-warmed skin.

"It had better be good, Fandral. We're supposed to be finding pigs for the tithing, you know " Thor grumbled good-naturedly, letting himself be drawn away from the house and further into the forest. 

"Oh, I think you'll like it," drawled Fandral as he pulled Thor into the shadow of a massive pine tree and kissed him.

_That lady at the brothel was wrong. There's a world of difference between her mouth and a man's mouth_ , Thor thought dazedly as Fandral's tongue plundered his mouth. He whimpered into the kiss as Fandral's hands slid down to his arse, pressing their groins together so Thor could feel how hard he was. The other man grinned shamelessly back, and Thor realized that Fandral could feel his erection too.

They broke apart, breathing heavily, and Fandral chuckled. "I'm glad to see I wasn't wrong about you. That would have been embarrassing."

Thor's bright smile rivaled the sun. "I've been hoping that you were interested. I didn't want to put you in an awkward position, though."

"Oh, you can put me in whatever position you like," murmured Fandral, moving in to capture another kiss. His hands stroked Thor's cheeks, slightly roughened by his short blonde beard. "Turn around," he breathed softly into Thor's ear, his warm breath making Thor shiver. 

Thor did as he was told, and Fandral drew him close, rubbing his cock against Thor's arse. His hands slid under Thor's tunic, exploring his chest and belly, teasing at Thor's nipples until he moaned, grinding back into Fandral's crotch. 

"Here, let me touch you," Fandral said softly, one hand dropping down to caress Thor's aching cock through his trousers. His hands were making Thor mad with desire, making him hope that Fandral would pull down his trousers and take him right there. Thor's shaking fingers crept up and started undoing his laces so Fandral would be able to reach in and touch his bare skin.

"Please," Thor begged shamelessly, grabbing Fandral's hand and pushing it under the loosened fabric, groaning as his fingers brushed Thor's cock. Fandral took the hint and wrapped his fingers around it, stroking him slowly and making Thor writhe back against him.

"Do you want to come right now, Thor?" Fandral growled, rutting against Thor's arse.

"Oh yes," Thor moaned. "Yes please, Fandral. I want you to make me come." The other man's hand sped up, stroking him harder and faster until his orgasm wracked him. His seed spurted over Fandral's fingers, spattering on the fallen leaves under their feet.

"Here," said Fandral, holding his hand to Thor's lips. Thor hesitated for a moment, then poked his tongue out and tentatively licked at the come on Fandral's hand. _It's not wonderful, but it could taste worse, I guess_ , mused Thor. Fandral took his hand away, licking the rest off of his fingers with a sly grin. 

A filthy idea bloomed in Thor's head, and he turned and pushed Fandral back against the pine tree. Dropping to his knees, Thor wrestled with the laces on Fandral's trousers until he was able to free the other man's cock. He closed his eyes and put Fandral's cock in his mouth, trying to remember how the woman at the brothel had done it. He moved slowly at first, getting used to the way it stretched his lips and made it harder to breathe. As he felt more confident, he started to move faster, using his tongue against the head as he sucked. Fandral tangled his fingers in Thor's hair, not forcing anything, just holding on gently as he enjoyed the sight of Thor on his knees in front of him.

"Look at me, Thor," Fandral commanded, and Thor obeyed, looking up at him through his thick black lashes. "Oh Gods," he groaned. "Get ready, Thor, I'm about to come." Thor choked a little at the first spurt of Fandral's seed on his tongue, but kept sucking until the other man touched his cheeks gently and said "Enough, Thor. Gods, that was amazing!" Blushing fiercely, Thor got up and dusted his knees off, finally taking the time to relace his trousers. Fandral attended to his own laces and straightened his tunic, then turned to Thor. "Will you meet me later?" he asked softly, stroking Thor's bearded cheek with his thumb. 

Thor nodded, not trusting his voice. His throat was a bit sore from sucking Fandral's cock, but he was already looking forward to trying it again, along with several other things that he thought might be enjoyable. "We could meet up in the hayloft," Thor offered. "It's warm up there, and private, too."

"All right, we'll meet there in the afternoon, just before dinner," agreed Fandral. "Can you bring some oil? It will make things a lot easier, you know."

"I'll do my best," said Thor. "Now, ummm, let's check down by the river for the pigs. They like it down there because there's lots of acorns for them to eat."

Fandral threw his arm around Thor's shoulders, and they walked down the hill together towards the river. 

*****************************************

"Where is Thor?" grumbled Odin. "I need his help separating the boars and sows."

Balder piped up,"I saw him go into the barn a little while ago. Maybe he's still in there."

"I'll tan his hide for wasting my time. We have to have everything ready to leave for Utgard in two days," Odin groused. "Balder, you go check the house. If you find him, tell him I said to go to the pens. I'll check the barn myself."

Inside the barn, it was dim and quiet. Odin walked down the main aisle looking in the stalls, fuming at his eldest son's absence. As he neared the ladder to the hayloft, he began to hear rustling sounds accompanied by a faint rhythmic squeaking of boards. His sharp ears picked out his son's voice quietly moaning in pleasure. At first, Odin smiled broadly, thinking that his son had finally found a woman that pleased him; however, he stopped in mid stride as he heard, not the woman's voice he expected, but the deep tones of another man. He shook his head in disbelief. Thor was _not_ in the hayloft with a **_man_ ** . That was not possible, not _acceptable_. He would put an end to whatever this was right here and now. Steeling his resolve, Odin started up the ladder, freezing in place as Thor cried out, the other voice joining his in a passionate crescendo. Odin gritted his teeth and finished climbing the ladder, trying to prepare himself for what he might find.

The scene that met his eyes was worse than he expected. Not only was Thor fornicating with another man, he'd let himself be _taken_ like a fancy little whore. Odin was beside himself with rage, storming up the last few rungs of the ladder. His boots hit the hayloft floor loudly, and the two young men who were still wrapped in an intimate embrace pulled away from each other in shock. Odin looked like the very image of an avenging god, chest puffed out wrathfully. 

"GET OUT!!" he thundered at Fandral, who grabbed his clothing and practically flew down the ladder. Thor sat frozen in shock, terrified of what his father might do now that they were alone. He'd sometimes switched Thor as a young boy for minor misdeeds, but his father's ominous tone had every nerve in Thor's body paralyzed with fear.

"On your hands and knees, boy, since you seem to like it so much," snarled his father. Thor complied numbly, his heart pounding so hard he thought he might faint. Odin took off his belt and doubled it, snapping the worn leather between his hands. Thor closed his eyes as his father swung.

By the time Odin was done with his punishment, almost every inch of Thor's back and buttocks was etched in agony, as if his skin had been doused with pitch and set aflame. Tears ran silently down his cheeks, but he choked back his sobs so as not to further inflame Odin's anger at his supposed unmanliness.

Odin pulled him up to his knees by his hair, grimacing at his tear-stained cheeks. "Get yourself under control, boy, and put your damned clothes on. Then, you come straight to the house, and don't you even **_dare_ ** try to talk to that… that.... And if you so much as breathe a word of this to your mother, I swear I'll turn you out of this house and make Balder my heir." Thor cringed away from the disgust and contempt in Odin's eyes. "Do it now, boy!" Odin barked before retreating back down the ladder as if his eldest son carried a deadly plague that might contaminate him.

Thor moved slowly, trying not to injure himself further. He managed to pull on his underdrawers and trousers with shaking hands, wincing as the rough fabric rubbed on his welted skin. He stared dully at his tunic, not sure if he could even move his arms high enough to put it back on.

A sound at the ladder sent him scrambling backwards in terror. His younger brother's head appeared, solemn eyes taking in Thor's injuries. "Father's awful mad at you, Thor. I've never seen him like that before, and it was really scary. Are you okay?" he asked as he finished climbing up into the hayloft. 

Thor hung his head, wishing Balder hadn't seen him like this. "Actually, I could use your help getting my tunic back on."

Balder came over, shaking his head. "You're bleeding, Thor. I'd better tell Mother so she can…"

"No!" Thor blurted out. "You can't tell her anything about this, Balder! It will only make things worse."

"I… But… If that's really what you want, Thor, then I won't tell. But, Mother isn't stupid, though," Balder warned. He picked up Thor's tunic. "She'll know right away that you're hurt."

Thor sighed wearily. "I know, Balder. Just help me get dressed, and I'll figure the rest out later." 

**********************

A few agonizing minutes later, Thor made his way painfully down the ladder and began walking towards the house. He glanced around surreptitiously, trying to spot Fandral, but the other man was nowhere to be seen. His father stepped out of the door, and Thor cringed back away from him. "You will be at my side from now on until we leave for Utgard. I'd leave you behind since you love seeing the damned prince so much, but I can't trust that you won't disgrace yourself further while I'm gone. Now go inside"

Thor bowed his head mutely in acceptance, pathetically grateful that he wouldn't be denied the chance to see Loki this year. He went inside and made it to his room without being seen by his mother. He could feel tears pricking at his eyes again as he lay down gingerly on his bed, and he succumbed once more to despair, crying himself to sleep. 

Balder woke him a little while later for dinner, and Thor groaned. His appetite was nearly nonexistent at the moment, and he couldn't bear the thought of being under his father's scrutiny at the table. He knew, however, if he didn't make an appearance, Frigga would come looking for him, so he dragged himself out of bed and washed his face. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest as he walked down the narrow hallway to the kitchen. His father and brother were already seated, and Frigga was bringing the food over to the table when he entered. Thor slumped into his seat, and his mother handed him some bread. Thor ate mechanically, trying to move as little as possible; meanwhile, Balder chattered at Odin's side, casting concerned looks in Thor's direction whenever their mother wasn't looking. 

"Thor, are you all right? You've barely eaten anything," said Frigga, laying a concerned hand on Thor's shoulder. He gasped and instinctively twisted away from her, trying to lessen the pain flaring up under his skin. "What's wrong, Thor? Are you hurt?"

He could feel Odin's gaze burning into him from across the table as he turned painfully to answer his mother. "It's nothing, mother. I'm fine."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Thor, my son, I know you're lying to me. What happened to you?"

Odin slapped the table hard, making Thor flinch. "He's my son, and I will discipline him as I see fit, woman!"

"Is that so? She walked slowly around the table towards her husband, head cocked like a bird of prey. As she came within arm's reach of Odin, she suddenly grabbed his hair and pulled his head back, baring his throat to the knife she snatched from the table. "Well, for three bloody days and nights. I labored to bring him into this world. So I dare say he's my son too, and I'll _heal_ him as I see fit. Thor, go to my still room. I'll be there in a moment."

Thor knew better than to cross Frigga when she was angry, so he tried to stand up and failed miserably. Balder hopped up and gave him a hand so he could finally get to his feet. Thor shuffled out the door, wondering what warrior spirit had possessed his usually placid mother to raise a knife to his father. Balder followed in case Thor needed help on the way.

"Now you listen to me," she snapped once Thor and Balder had left the room. "What in the name of the Gods possessed you to do that to Thor?"

"I'll not have my son and heir fornicating with..with.." Odin spluttered, face flushed with anger. 

"With what, you fool? Is he tupping the pigs? The chickens? Little children?" she snapped.

"With a _man_ , damn it!" he growled.

Frigga jerked his hair hard in annoyance. "What of it, Odin? It's hardly the end of the world. If Thor ends up not having children- which could happen even if he _did_ marry a woman- then Balder will carry on the farm for us instead. It's nothing to beat him bloody for, you ass. I swear Odin, if you drive Thor away, Balder and I will leave with him- don't think I won't! Many nobles would be honored to have a trained herbalist like me serving their house." She shoved his head away and tossed the knife contemptuously on the table, stalking away without a backwards glance and leaving Odin staring stupidly at her back.

*********************************

When Frigga entered her still room, Thor was sitting carefully on a stool with Balder hovering protectively nearby. She smiled at her younger son, stroking his blonde curls with a gentle hand. "Thank you for looking after Thor, my dear. Why don't you go on to your room? I'll take care of everything here."

"Yes, Mama," said Balder, kissing her cheek before he left. She looked after him fondly for a moment before turning her attention to her eldest son.

"All right, Thor, I know this will hurt, but I need you to take your tunic off. I'm sure I'll need to clean things up before I can put anything on to numb it."

Thor sighed and tried to do as she asked, but in the end, Frigga had to help pull the tunic up and over his head. She shook her head as she stared at the welts and bruises covering Thor's back. The skin had split in several spots from Odin's blows, still bleeding sluggishly in a few places. Frigga opened a bottle and picked up a clean cloth.

"This is going to sting," she warned as she poured the tincture on her cloth. Thor hissed as she carefully wiped his injuries so they wouldn't become infected. Once she was satisfied, she set the cloth aside and picked up a jar of ointment. "Now this will both numb the pain and help the bruises heal faster. I'll be sure to pack some for you to take on the trip to Utgard."

Thor hung his head as she smoothed the ointment onto his back. "I'm sorry, Mama," he whispered.

"For what? Following your heart?" She laughed shortly. "Truly, there's no way I could fault you for doing that, Thor. Many of the other herbalists I trained with couldn't understand why I chose to come here and marry your father and raise pigs, but I did it anyway. I knew that I was _meant_ to be here, and your father blessed me with two good sons. I've always known that your path through this world would not be an easy one, my dear, and I refuse to allow your father to make it harder with his willful ignorance."

Thor stared at her. "You _knew_? But how? I mean, I never..."

Frigga smiled mysteriously. "I was raised by witches, boy. I see with more than eyes. It was that blonde boy, wasn't it? The tall one with the mustache?"

Thor blushed guiltily under Frigga's knowing gaze. "I knew Father wouldn't approve, but I had no idea he'd be this angry about it," he mumbled

"You leave your father to me, Thor. I'll get his foolishness sorted out. Now, how does your back feel?"

Thor tried moving his arms. The pain was still there, but it was bearable now. "Much better, Mother. Thank you."

"You're welcome, my dear," she said, patting his cheek. "I think you should try to get some rest now. I want you to heal as much as possible before you leave for Utgard. If I were you, I'd leave your tunic off while you sleep so it won't keep sticking to your wounds. Now, off you go, Thor, and good night."

**************************************

Thor dropped into an exhausted sleep, only to be awoken a few hours later by Balder pounding on his bedroom door. "Wake up, Thor! Brigands are trying to take the pigs for the tithe! Father needs you!"

Struggling up out of his bed, Thor managed to throw on a tunic over the trousers he had fallen asleep in. He yanked his sword out of its scabbard and ran for the front door. He threw the door open and sprinted barefoot across the yard, following the sounds of fighting. As he ran around the side of the barn, he was nearly hit in the head by a thin, desperate looking man wielding a cudgel. Thor ducked in time, but was hit in the side by another brigand. He grunted and swung wildly with his sword, slashing the man's arm and making him drop his weapon. While he was distracted, the first man swung at him and connected with his ribs again. Thor roared and dropped his sword to grapple with the brigand, wrestling him to the ground and disarming him. The man struggled furiously and Thor punched him, managing to knock him unconscious. The red rage of battle surged through his veins, and he couldn't feel the pain in his ribs or in his back as he helped round up and disarm the rest of the would-be thieves. 

As Thor's adrenaline wore off, he staggered from the intense pain in his back and ribs. In a flash, Balder was there by his side helping him remain on his feet. "Let's go to Mother and have her look at you again," his brother suggested, putting his arm carefully around Thor's waist.

When they got to the still room, they found Frigga already there, her hand pressed tightly against her side and her face whiter than winter snow. She composed herself quickly when she saw her sons, moving to help support Thor until he got to the stool. She shook her head in dismay when she pulled off his tunic again and saw the marks of the cudgels already patterning Thor's ribs. He groaned as she smoothed on more of the numbing ointment she had used earlier, coating both his ribs and back with the cooling balm.

Frigga wiped her hands on a towel and turned to her youngest son. "Balder, would you please go get some fresh water from the well for your brother? I need him to take some medicine before he goes back to bed."

"Of course, Mother. I'll be right back." He scampered out the door, pleased to be helping his mother heal his brother.

Thor watched and waited until Balder had left before turning back to Frigga. "Are you well, Mother?" he asked, as her hand strayed back to her side. She smiled at him, a sad gentle smile that made Thor feel like an abyss had just opened under his feet.

"I'm well enough for the moment, my dear son," she said, cupping his face in her hands. "We are all born to die, Thor; some of us will just go sooner than others. And believe you me, even when I'm gone, I'll still look out for you. I give you my word, Thor."

Thor's eyes burned fiercely at the thought of losing Frigga's gentle guidance. "Mama," he whispered brokenly, clutching at her dress. She stroked his golden hair as he wept, her own tears held back sternly by the need to comfort her child.

"Now listen to me, Thor. Your friendship with the prince… it will be of great importance to you in the future. I can't see exactly what will occur, but it's important that you and Prince Loki stay connected. Promise me you won't neglect him as you get older. He's had enough dark and lonely days as it is. You'll light the way for him, won't you, my little sunbeam?"

Thor smiled faintly at his old nickname. "Yes, Mama, I'll do my best to help the prince."

Frigga kissed his forehead tenderly. "I know you will, my son. Now, here's Balder with your water. Take this, it will help with the pain and make you sleep soundly."

Thor swallowed the pills, then yawned hugely. "Good night, Mother. I love you."

"I love you too, my sons," Frigga said, holding her arms wide. Thor and Balder embraced their mother warmly before heading off to their beds.

*********************************************************************************************************************

Two days later, Thor and Odin set off for Utgard, a heavy wall of silence looming between them.


	8. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki learns of Thor's injuries (and the reason behind them) and offers Thor his protection.

Hearing bootheels ringing on the flagstones, Volstagg looked down the hall. _Didnae realize 'twas already time for Thor tae come again. He's sae grown up, I'd scarcely hae recognized him_ , thought the burly guard. The tall young man coming towards him was now thickly muscled instead of being the lean, lanky boy who used to visit the prince each year. A soft blond beard now lightly covered cheeks that still showed signs of baby fat; only the twinkling blue eyes remained unchanged. As usual, he carried a wiggling fat pig on one hip as a gift to the prince, but the other hip now bore a sword in a worn scabbard.

"Where's yer Da, Thor? Surely ye didnae come all this way yerself?" queried the guard.

"No, Volstagg, he's just very tired. I sent him off to rest before dinner. How is the prince?" Thor asked.

"Himself will be glad t' see ye, I ken. Good thing he'll recognize yer scent, though. Yer no' the wee lad that first came here, are ye?"

Thor let out an embarrassed chuckle, stroking his beard self-consciously. "Not really, I guess. I've been doing some weapons training over the last year or so. Brigands have been thick as fleas up on the hills this season."

Volstagg grunted in approval. "Just ye be careful, mind? We all caught merry Hel the last time ye got injured."

Thor groaned "Oh Gods, don't remind me! That was an absolute disaster, though it did all come right in the end."

The burly guard laughed and slapped him on the back as he passed through the door into Loki's shadowy domain.

The lindworm came barreling out of the shadows almost before the door was completely closed. He drew up short and gazed intently at Thor, his forked tongue flickering out and tasting the air.

"Thor, it isss you! You look ssso different! Thank goodnessss you sssmell the sssame!"

Thor smiled awkwardly and set the pig down on the floor. "What makes me so different this time, Loki?"

The prince slithered around him, taking note of all his changes. "Firssst of all, you're ssso tall now. And hmmmm, ssso... lumpy, too." He looked at Thor's face, gently brushing his beard with the back of his clawed hand. "You're sssoft now, but not sssmooth anymore."

Thor's cheeks pinkened at Loki's comments. "Yes, well, my little brother is quite jealous of my beard, thank you very much! And just what do you mean by lumpy, Your Highness??"

Loki prodded at Thor's muscular upper arm. "Ssssee...lumpy."

Thor chuckled ruefully. "Those are muscles, Loki, not lumps. I've done a lot of weapons training lately. Plus I've been taking on a lot more duties around the farm that my father can't handle anymore."

"Hmph, my musssclesss are nice and sssmooth," teased Loki smugly, wrapping his coils around Thor's legs and giving them a gentle squeeze. "And why have you ssstarted weapons training? Isss working with pigsss ssso dangerousss?"

"No, not really." Thor shook his head. "We've been having trouble with brigands for a while now; since I'm the oldest, I thought I should know what to do. A few of my father's men had been in the army when they were younger, so they're teaching me what they know."

"Hire sssoldiersss, that'sss what you ssshould do," the prince scolded, wagging a clawed finger in Thor's face.

"Well, that takes extra coin, which we don't always have for that sort of thing," said Thor defensively. "I do well enough at it, Loki. I helped capture three of them just before we left to come here."

"I wisssh you didn't have to fight anyone, Thor. I'm ssscared you might get hurt," Loki sighed.

"Very few of them are actually good fighters, though. Most are just hungry and desperate," Thor pointed out.

"Desssperate men can be very dangerousss, though," Loki replied seriously.

"I know, Loki, but I'll do whatever's necessary for my family's safety. Besides, I thought someday I was going to be one of your guards, right?" joked Thor, pretending to wave a sword at him.

Loki playfully butted Thor in the stomach, wringing a pained grunt from his friend. Loki was immediately contrite. "What'sss wrong, Thor? Are you injured? Ssshall I sssend for the healersss?"

"Just a bit bruised is all. The men we fought didn't have swords, but being hit by cudgels doesn't feel very good, either," Thor admitted.

"Ssshow me, Thor," said Loki, concerned for his friend's well-being.

Thor unbuckled his sword belt and set it down so he could raise his tunic a few inches, and Loki hissed in sympathy. Thor's stomach and ribs were patterned with dark bruises. The prince gently flicked his tongue over the sore flesh, hissing at the damage. Carefully poking an undamaged spot, he peeked up wickedly at Thor. "Lumpy here asss well, I sssee."

Flustered, Thor quickly pulled his tunic back down over his stomach. "Don't fuss, Loki. I'll heal up soon enough."

As Thor turned away to pick up his sword belt, Loki noticed a slowly spreading stain stain on the back of his tunic. "What isss that on your back, Thor? Sssomething doesssn't sssmell right here. Are you injured on your back asss well?"

Thor stiffened and bowed his head. "I'd rather not talk about it, Loki," he mumbled.

"I'll sssend Volssstagg for a healer," said Loki, concerned about his friend's apparent injury.

"NO!" Thor shouted, startling Loki. "No, no healers."

"But, you're bleeding. You ssshould get help." Loki couldn't understand why Thor was being so difficult about his injury.

"It's nothing. Just a punishment for making poor choices, Loki. Don't worry, it's almost healed anyway," he muttered.

"Who did thissss?" Loki snarled, enraged that someone would hurt his friend. "I'll find them and..."

"My father did it, Loki," Thor said flatly. "As I said, it's a punishment for making poor choices. It's nothing for you to worry about" "Ssshow me. Asss your Prince, I command it," snapped Loki.

Thor sighed, knowing that Loki wouldn't relent until he knew the truth. He painfully removed his tunic, wincing as it stuck to his back in several places.

Loki gasped as he looked at his friend's back. Bruises crisscrossed Thor's tanned skin, too regular in shape to have come from a cudgel. The skin was even broken in a few places, dark scabs marring the smooth skin. The worst was Thor's shoulder where Volstagg's thoughtless slap had torn open the scab, allowing the wound to bleed freely again.

"Why would your father do thisss to you? Sssurely whatever happened wasss an accident, right?" Loki was dumbfounded.

"No, I knew what I was doing, and I chose to do it. I just hoped that we wouldn't get caught, but as you see..." Thor shrugged.

Loki's tail lashed the ground in confusion and distress. His parents and the servants had never struck him, even when his behavior was appalling. The closest he had ever come to a physical punishment was when he tried to attack Odin and Thor had grabbed his snout to stop him. He gently put his clawed hand on Thor's forearm, shocked at how cold and clammy his skin felt.

"Pleassse Thor, tell me what happened. I hate to sssee you like thisss." He tugged carefully on Thor's arm, hoping to get him over by the fireplace to warm him up.

Thor slowly went along with him and sank down on a cushion in front of the roaring fire, bloodstained tunic lying forgotten in his lap. Loki came and curled up next to him, sliding his snout under his friend's arm. Thor rubbed his hand on the prince's smooth scales to help collect his thoughts before he spoke.

"Do you remember last year when I was drunk, and I told you about a boy that I liked? Well, it turns out he liked me too. One thing led to another and..." Thor broke off, trying to get his emotions under control. "We ended up in the hayloft together trying to figure out how it all worked. I guess my father must have heard us when he came in for something. Oh Gods, he was so angry, Loki! He yelled at Fandral to get out and told me he was going to beat my foolishness out of me once and for all."

Loki squirmed uncomfortably, not sure how to react to Thor's confession. On one hand, he was wildly jealous of this stranger who seemingly held Thor's heart as well as his body in his scaleless, clawless hands. But, on the other hand, he also didn't want to upset Thor any further. He wanted to wrap his coils around his friend and shelter him from anything and anyone who tried to hurt him, including his father.

"Listen to me, Thor. If your father hurtsss you again... or if you wisssh to leave home for any reassson, come ssstraight to me. Asss Prince, I ssshould have attendantsss like my brother doesss. I have never asssked for any, but there isss alwaysss a place here for you, my friend. No one will missstreat you, or I ssshall make them very, very sssorry," Loki said seriously.

Thor smiled shakily, tears welling up in his eyes. "That's very kind of you, Loki, but I can't leave Balder and my mother right now. My brother is too young to take over running the farm yet, and Mama… she isn't well. Don't worry, Loki. Everything will be all right," he choked as the tears finally spilled over, soaking into his beard.

Loki swiftly adjusted his coils so he could put his arms around his friend. "I'm ssseriousss, Thor. Ssstay with me. You'll be sssafe here."

Thor scrubbed at his face, trying to wipe away the tears. "But I'm afraid that Fandral won't be safe at home anymore, and I don't want to leave him to face my father alone. It was all my fault that we got caught. If I hadn't convinced him to go to the hayloft with me, he'd..."

"Sssssshhhh," crooned Loki. "You are not to blame for your father'sss cruelty. But I underssstand that you want to protect sssomeone who isss ssspecial to you." He paused, gathering his courage to make the most difficult offer of his life. "If you feel he isss in danger, there isss room for both of you here."

"Thank you, Loki. I'll keep that in mind," Thor whispered, hiding his face in Loki's coils. 

After a few minutes, a shift in Thor's breathing told Loki that his friend had fallen asleep. He settled his coils more comfortably and dozed off, lulled by the heat of Thor's body and the fire. His last conscious thought was that maybe, just maybe, Thor would decide to stay with him-maybe not today, but soon....


	9. Dark Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor suffers several losses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: character deaths, terminal illness, depression, brief mention of suicidal thoughts 
> 
> I'm very, very sorry for this chapter being so sad!!!! I promise happiness in the future, I really really do!!!

Thor watched helplessly as the long winter took its toll on Frigga. Instead of working in her still room or helping with the day-to-day chores, she spent much of each day wrapped up snugly in a blanket in front of the fire. Thor and Balder spent their free time cosseting her, bringing her small treats and listening to her tell stories of magical beings both bright and dark. At times such as these, Odin either brooded in the corner or kept himself busy with the pigs and the hired men. During his absences, the brothers learned more about herbalists and how they were trained in more than just herb lore. They found it hard to believe that their kind, gentle mother had been taught to fight skillfully with a knife, but the reason she gave unfortunately made too much sense. "We were expected to go out and gather what we needed by ourselves, and there were many men who thought a lone woman would be easy prey. In fact, when I first met your father, I was busy threatening to slit his best friend's throat..." 

******************************

One bleak night, Thor was summoned out of his bed to fight against brigands again. He took no hurt himself this time, but Odin lost several men in the battle. Most of the men he barely knew, but Thor could only stare in mute horror as Fandral's limp body was laid with their other casualties inside the barn. He could feel his father's eyes on him as he carefully covered each of his father's men with a blanket to await burial in the morning. 

Odin gripped his shoulder fiercely, keeping him from leaving with the others. "You will keep vigil by our men tonight, Thor," he said harshly, leaving his son behind in the frigid stable with their dead. 

Thor didn't know if he should curse his father or thank him for unknowingly providing him with a chance to say goodbye to his lover in private. He went to Fandral's body and gently turned back the blanket, revealing his pale, cold face. "I'm sorry for not taking you away from here, Fandral, but I couldn't leave Mama. She's getting worse, and I don't know how much longer she'll have before…." Thor broke down then, weeping on his dead lover's chest. After a few minutes, he sat up and wiped his face, shivering with cold. He kissed Fandral's cheek and pulled the blanket back up over his face. _Well, Father, I guess you got your way, didn't you?_ Thor thought sourly. _You won't have to worry about me sullying the family name again, at least not with_ **_him_ ** _._ Looking around, Thor spotted a spare blanket crumpled on the ground that he wrapped around himself to ward off the worst of the cold as he waited for the dawn. 

Although the solstice had already passed, Thor felt sure that **_this_** had to be the longest night of the year.

*******************************

Frigga rallied a bit in spring. To her children, the warmth returning to the earth seemed to bring strength back to her body as well. One or both of the boys would accompany her out to search for fresh herbs for the still room. Thor often went with her, leaving Balder to work with Odin, learning how to manage both animals and men. His excuse was that he was bigger and stronger than his brother in case Frigga grew ill and needed to be carried back to the house; but in truth, Thor was hoarding every moment that he could with his mother, dreading the day when she would leave him forever. 

As they rambled, they spoke of many things, and Frigga was especially interested in hearing about Loki. When Thor finally told her about Loki's offer to shelter him and Fandral, she sighed. "It was kind of the prince to offer you both sanctuary. If only…" She bit her lip, knowing that Thor still mourned the loss of his lover and hesitating to bring her son more pain with her words. "I know it's selfish of me to say so, but I'm glad you're here with me right now." Thor said nothing, but hugged his mother close until she swatted him on the shoulder, reminding him they still had several herbs to find before dinner.

***************************

As the summer faded into early autumn, so did Frigga's strength. Her slender frame grew dangerously thin, and both Thor and Balder tried to tempt her waning appetite with fresh, sweet berries and apples from the orchard. Though they tried their best, Frigga's strength continued to dwindle. One day, she stumbled and Thor caught her before she could fall. By chance, his hand pressed against her side, and he could feel a large mass of _something_ pushing against her skin. He stared down at her with shocked eyes, taking in her exhausted pallor and emaciated body. 

"Oh, Mama. No. **_No._ ** Why?" Thor whispered, eyes bright with tears.

"I told you once before, my son. Every one of us is born to die," she said, putting her hands on Thor's cheeks as if he were still a small boy and kissing his forehead. "Don't worry, I'm not in any pain, sweetheart. Trust me, Thor."

****************

About a month before the tithe was due in Utgard, Thor awoke in the middle of the night, overwhelmed with the urge to check on his mother. Since the main room was the warmest, a small bed had been made up for her next to the fire. As Thor approached quietly, she turned her head to look at him, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"You heard my call," she said softly as Thor took her fragile hand in his. He kissed her fingers reverently, not trusting himself to speak. "Thor, my firstborn, my little sunbeam, I have a gift for you." She pulled out a small glass bottle from under her pillow and handed it to Thor. He took it carefully, gazing curiously at the runes carved into both the glass and the silver stopper. This vial was like nothing he had ever seen in his mother's still room, and he raised his eyebrows at her in a silent question. 

"There will come a time in the future when you feel like you desperately need my counsel. If you drink the contents of this vial, I will come to you in a dream and give you such aid as I can. Use it wisely, Thor, for my spirit can only only make the journey back to the world of the living once before I must move on to the next realm."

"But what about Balder, Mother? Will there be no such comfort for him?" asked Thor, not wanting his brother to be left out.

She touched his cheek with cold fingers, making him shiver with dread. "Balder will be alright, Thor. Though you look much alike, your natures are very different. I know I call you my little sunbeam, but you've always been more of a little storm cloud, and you've definitely had a lot to rain about these past few months. There will be sunshine again for you one day, my dear, but there are a few more storms you must pass through first." She grimaced and shifted her position slightly. "Will you wake Balder and your father now? There are things that I would say to them before I go."

Thor went and gathered the rest of his family and they each took a turn talking with Frigga as the night wore on. Slowly, the darkness began to give way to the pale glimmer of morning, and Frigga roused, her eyes wide and bright. 

"Carry me outside to the hilltop, Thor. I want my spirit to rise with the dawn," she commanded, gripping his hand tightly. 

What could he do but obey her? Thor lifted his mother easily in his arms and carried her out the door and up the hill overlooking their house. Balder laid out a blanket and Thor eased down onto it, cradling Frigga against his broad chest. Odin sunk down beside them, eyes as dark and empty as a new grave, while Balder sat at his mother's feet, lips trembling and eyes threatening to spill over and drown them all in a river of sorrow. Thor could feel her shallow breaths and the rapid beating of her heart like a little bird he had once caught in his hands as a boy. He had held that tiny spark of life in his hands just for a moment before setting it free to soar back into the sky, and he knew he had to do the same for Frigga. Taking a deep breath, he whispered in her ear, "It's okay, Mama. Go with the wind and the sunshine…. _I love you._ " He felt the slight pressure of her fingers on his arm before they fell away. At her feet, Balder curled over and sobbed, giving in to his grief. Odin sat mute beside Thor, tears cutting through the weathered grooves in his cheeks like rain wearing away an ancient stone. 

Thor laid her body down on the soft blanket she had woven with her own hands, and they sat in silence together for some time. As the sun rose higher, one of Odin's men came quietly up the hill, head bared in respect for Frigga's passing. He carried a shovel in his hands, prepared to do one last service for his mistress, but Thor stood and took the shovel from him gently. "Thank you, but Balder and I will take care of this," he said, voice thick with sadness. The brothers took turns digging under her favorite tree until they had prepared her final resting place. Balder went to gather the men, and Thor helped Odin stand up. He was shocked at his father's passivity, moving dazedly in response to Thor's words like a broken puppet whose strings had been cut. _He's in shock_ , Thor realized. _Hopefully he'll snap out of it soon. There's so much still to be done before the tithing_.

The men and their families left their homes slowly assembled on the hillside. The carpenter and his apprentices came bearing a coffin carved with beautiful curling vines and flowers on the lid and sides. Thor stooped and lifted Frigga once more. Balder came and kissed her cheek one last time before going to stand by the coffin. Thor looked around and saw Odin standing numbly where he had left him earlier. Thor carried Frigga over to him.

"Father... _Father_ ," Thor begged. "It's time to tell Mama goodbye."

Odin turned his dreadful empty gaze on Thor for a moment, twin wells of endless sorrow. Then his eyes cleared briefly and he clutched both his son and his wife fiercely to his chest. As he released them and stepped back, Odin's eyes glazed back over with grief, leaving Thor to place his mother in the coffin by himself. Balder helped him put the lid on, and several of Odin's most trusted men lifted the coffin and lowered it into the grave. Seeing that Odin was unable to assist with her eulogy, Thor spoke to them of his mother's kindness and generosity, her skill as a healer, her deep love for her children and her husband. Once he finished, the mourners each put a handful of dirt in the grave before walking silently down the hill. Thor sighed and began filling in the rest of the hole. As he added the last shovelfuls of dirt, Balder came over with a small bag. He dropped to his knees beside the grave and began poking holes in the dirt with his finger. Thor raised his eyebrows, and Balder shrugged, smiling weakly.

"Mother gave these to me last night," he said, holding out a handful of bulbs. "She told me if I planted them now, they would bloom for us in the spring."

Thor set the shovel aside. "Can I help?" he asked softly. 

Balder dropped some of the bulbs into Thor's outstretched palm. "Just poke a hole as deep as you can, drop one in, and cover it with dirt. Nature should take care of the rest."

They worked in silence, burying the bulbs in the raw earth. When there were no more bulbs to plant, the brothers stood up and brushed their hands off on their trousers. 

Balder looked over at Odin and shook his head mournfully. "I'll see if I can get him back down to the house if you'll go check on the pigs."

Thor nodded in agreement and headed down the hill towards the barn, shovel in hand; meanwhile, bit by bit, Balder coaxed their father to follow him back down to the house.

********************* 

Over the next few weeks, Balder and Thor worked together, running the farm during the day, and taking care of Odin at night. At first, he was resistant to their efforts, shutting them out both mentally and physically, preferring to wallow in his own misery over Frigga's death. Thor started making mistakes on purpose- nothing dangerous to the livestock or other humans- trying to see if he could goad Odin into reacting. _Even another beating would be better than this, this... nothingness,_ Thor thought morosely.

The breakthrough came totally by accident the day Thor tried to do the laundry. Frigga had explained the concept, but Thor had never done it on his own. He filled the huge cauldrons hung over the fire and let the water start heating while he gathered the clothing that needed to be washed. "One for washing, one for rinsing," he muttered as he started tossing clothing into the steaming water, thankfully remembering Frigga's admonition to separate their colorful tunics and trousers from their white bed linens and undergarments. He added the soap and started stirring everything with a long pole, humming one of his mother's favorite songs as he worked. When he judged they had been stirred long enough, he scooped them up with the pole and transferred them to the cauldron of rinse water. _So far, so good_ , he thought cheerfully as he put the second batch of laundry in the washing cauldron. 

Balder had come out of the house with Odin trailing behind him like a lost puppy. Thor beckoned him over to help with wringing out and hanging up the clean laundry. As they worked, Odin frowned.

"That's woman's work," he said sourly, his voice raspy with disuse. 

"Perhaps," Thor conceded, wringing out his tunic and pinning it to the clothesline. "But at the moment, I'd be happy to have trousers that can't stand up on their own because they're so dirty. Maybe after the tithing, we can find a woman to do some of these things. Especially the cooking," he laughed, looking at Balder, who had been doing a lot of the indoor chores since Frigga's death.

"Hey!" his brother protested, lobbing a pair of wet trousers at Thor's head. "I didn't hear you complaining before!"

"Of course not," Thor countered, flinging the wet cloth back at his brother. "Because I didn't want you to poison me _on purpose_!"

They bickered back and forth good-naturedly as they pinned the laundry to the drying lines. Odin stood there for a few minutes, scowling at them, and then he wandered off towards the pen full of pigs that had been selected for the tithe.

Suddenly, Odin's bellowing voice shattered their easy joking banter.

"GET THEM!!! GET THOSE DAMNED PIGS!!!"

Two blonde heads whipped around in time to see the best of their father's pigs streaking out of the pen with their father in hot pursuit. They sprinted after the pigs, trying to drive them back towards the pen, flapping pieces of wet laundry at them. Most of the pigs turned back, but a pair of wily boars darted to the side, causing Thor to curse and give chase. The biggest boar turned unexpectedly and charged at Thor, who tried to dodge out of the way but got entangled in the clothesline. As he pulled and tugged, trying to get free, the thin rope snapped, dropping the wet laundry on the pigs. The smaller of the pigs ended up with Balder's underdrawers stuck over his head, blocking its vision, while the larger boar's legs got tangled in Thor's old trousers that he usually wore for dirty jobs. The boys were quick to pounce and capture the renegade pigs, and they carried them back to the pen where Odin was waiting by the gate. Thor put the larger pig down inside the pen and sent it to join its fellows with a swat on the rump. As Balder brought the smaller pig up to the gate, Thor laughed and plucked Balder's underdrawers off of its head, waving them around like a flag. Balder rolled his eyes at his big brother's antics and put the pig back with the others.

"I can't believe you're friends with a prince when you act like such an idiot," Balder grumbled, snatching the dirty wet cloth away from his brother.

"Well, you know how much I like snakes! You'd take one look at him and pass out, you silly goose," Thor sniped back.

They were both startled when Odin spoke. "I'm sorry Thor, but you won't be going to Utgard this year. I need you to stay home with Balder and run the farm while I'm gone."

"But Father, I only get to see Prince Loki once a year," Thor whined. "Couldn't I go in your place with the men? I know the way and what to do once we get there."

"No, Thor. I need to…" He glanced up the hill towards Frigga's grave. "Clear my head, I suppose. Otherwise, I might as well slit my wrists and join her now."

Thor and Balder both stared at their father, horrified at the thought of losing their only remaining parent. 

Odin scowled at their expressions. "I'm not dead yet, though. Am I, my sons?"

Thor grimaced. "For a while there, we weren't sure," he admitted. "We were afraid you'd stay… lost."

"Well, I'm not," he snapped. "So you'll stay here and help your brother while I deliver the tithe. You can write the prince a letter and I'll give it to his servant when I get to the stable yard."

"Will you tell him I'm sorry I couldn't be there? He doesn't get many visitors, so I feel bad that I won't see him this year. And tell me if he looks well," Thor pleaded.

Odin shook his head in exasperation. "I don't understand why you spend so much time cultivating a friendship with a creature who will never become king."

"It's true, he'll never be king, but he has his mother's ear. That could be useful at some point," Thor pointed out, feeling sickened at using this particular argument to sway his father's opinion of Loki. 

"Hmmm," was Odin's only reply.. "Go finish the laundry. I'll need to pack soon."

Thor and Balder stared at their father's back as he walked away towards the barn. Balder shrugged and tossed Thor his underdrawers. "Come on, let's go. We've got to rewash everything that ended up on the ground." Thor groaned and followed his brother back to the mess that awaited them by the washing kettles. 

*****************

Thor watched Odin and his men ride away with a heavy heart, hoping that his father would keep his word to deliver the letter he had written to Loki.


	10. Pen Pals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Odin delivers Thor's message and Loki pens a reply.

As soon as Eirik saw Odin's pale, careworn face, he knew something was wrong. He looked over the wagon train and immediately noticed that Thor wasn't there. _Oh dear, Prince Loki is going to be so disappointed. I hope he won't cause a scene_. Eirik put on a serene face and approached the wagon. "Greetings, Master Odin. I trust your journey went well."

"It would have been better if Thor were with me, but I needed him to stay behind. My wife..." Odin's face twisted with grief, and Eirik put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "My dearest Frigga went just this past month... a terrible illness took her from me. Thor stayed behind to help Balder with the farm, but he sent a letter for Prince Loki. Would you take it to him? I don't think he'd want me to read it to him. He's never cared for me much, especially after the time Thor got hurt by the pig." 

He held out a travel-stained piece of folded paper to the lindworm's attendant, and Eirik took the missive from Odin's shaking fingers. "Do you want me to deal with the prince's tithe as well? You look as if you could use some rest."

"No, I promised Thor I would see him in person," sighed Odin wearily. "I'll rest afterwards."

Once Eirik had selected the pig to be brought in for the prince, Odin's servant bound its legs and handed it to his master. Odin tucked the pig under his arm and followed Eirik into the palace. The familiar figure of Volstagg waited at the end of the hallway, guarding both the prince and the inhabitants of the palace from harm.

"Greetings, Master Odin, did ye nae bring th' lad this time?"

"No, I needed him to stay at the farm to help his brother. If it's all the same to you, I'd like to go on in and get this over with."

Eirik took the lead as they entered Loki's chamber, hoping to shield Odin if the prince grew angry over Thor's absence. Though they heard the faint rustling of Loki's scales, they saw no trace of him as Thor's father placed the pig in position and spoke the usual words. Straightening up, Odin sighed sadly. "I failed my wife, and now I've failed my son. He wanted me to bring word of how Prince Loki fared, but it looks like I'll have naught to tell him." The old man stood as tall as he could and addressed the room. "Prince Loki, my son, Thor, is very sorry he could not visit with you this year. Your man Eirik has a letter from his own hand, if you'd care to hear his words." 

As Odin backed towards the door, the prince hissed softly from the shadows. Odin looked questioningly at Eirik, who shook his head sadly. 

"I don't think he'll be coming out, Master Odin. Just tell your son that the prince is well and hopes to see him next year."

Odin nodded his head in agreement and left the prince's chamber. Eirik waited patiently, and the lindworm slowly dragged himself out from the shadows, unhappiness apparent in every line of his body. Eirik held out the folded paper that Odin had given him.

"Thor wrote you a letter, Your Highness. Would you like me to read it to you?"

"No, Eirik, it hurtsss too much. If I can't sssee him in the flessssh, I don't think I can ssstand hearing hisss wordsss on paper."

Eirik's face fell. "Thor didn't forget about you at all, my prince. His father told me he's just lost his wife, Thor's mother, and his other son is simply too young to manage the farm on his own. I'm sure he'll be here next year to spend time with you when he brings the tithe.

Emerald eyes narrowed dangerously. "Eirik, he issss my only friend outssside of the palace. You don't underssstand at all." The lindworm slapped his tail on the ground in annoyance. "Jussst go. Leave me alone. I don't wisssh to be disssturbed tonight."

"And if Odin asks to see you before he leaves?" his servant asked gently. 

"I can't, Eirik, I jussst can't. Pleassse... I wisssh to be alone now," the lindworm hissed miserably.

"All right, Your Highness. I'll leave Thor's letter here in case you change your mind," said Eirik, laying the folded paper on the small table near the door. 

As Eirik left, Loki slowly slithered to his den, head hanging dejectedly. As he squeezed inside, he reached for a bundle wrapped in a brightly embroidered handkerchief and stuffed into a crevice. He shook the cloth and let the small wooden carvings fall into his clawed hands. Heaving a mighty sigh, Loki clutched them to his chest and eventually fell into a fitful sleep.

*******************

When he awoke, his mind turned immediately to Thor's letter. Although he lacked the ability to speak freely without magical intervention, Loki was able to read fairly well, although writing was very difficult for him. He made his way over to the table and retrieved the piece of paper, carrying it over to the fireplace and unfolding it carefully with his claws. Its folds smelled like Thor, and Loki nuzzled the paper gently, wishing his friend was there to hug him and scratch his scales. 

Thor's handwriting was much like the man himself: big, bold, and easy to read. Once he was in a comfortable position by the fire. Loki smoothed the paper flat and began to read.

_Dear Prince Loki,_

_If you're reading this letter, then you already know that I wasn't able to come to Harvest Tithe this year. I'm sorry I'm not able to be there with you, but many bad things have happened here lately, the worst of which involves my mother. I had told you last year that she hadn't been well, and she just passed away this past month. I miss her so much, Loki. It hurts so bad when I want to talk to her about things and she isn't there anymore. I just feel so lost without her._

_We also had another band of brigands try to raid us again. I wasn't injured, but we lost several men, including my friend, Fandral._

_Gods, I'm so lonely now, Loki. I wish I were there with you sitting in front of the fire. I know you would hug me and help me feel better about everything. I miss you, Loki. Maybe you could write back to me._

_Your friend,_

_Thor_

Loki nibbled on a claw. He really wasn't very good at writing because his hands were not made quite the same as human hands; however, Thor had asked him to write, so he would do his best. He went and rang the bell that would summon Eirik to his chamber, then slithered around anxiously until his servant arrived.

"Yes, Prince Loki?" Eirik inquired curiously. The lindworm rarely ever rang for his servants, so naturally Eirik wondered what was going on.

"Eirik, I have a requessst. I need sssome paper, my pen, and sssome ink. Could you pleassse bring me thessse thingsss quickly?

"Certainly, my prince. Is that all you need?" Eirik glanced at the table by the door, and, as he suspected, Thor's letter was no longer sitting there. He kept his face impassive and refrained from commenting on the missing missive.

"I think ssso," Loki replied uncertainly. "If not, I ssshall let you know."

"I'll be right back with your supplies, Prince Loki," promised Eirik with a pleased glint in his eyes.

As he waited for Eirik, Loki thought about Thor's letter. _My poor friend. I ssshould like to hug you asss well. Ssso much sssadnesss on your ssshoulders…"_

The click of the door latch opening brought him back to the task at hand, namely writing Thor a reply. Eirik was carrying an ink-stained satchel in his hands, and Loki took it carefully from him with his teeth. He carried it over to his favorite spot by the fireplace and set it gently on the floor, careful not to break or spill the bottle of ink. Using his claws, he extracted several sheets of paper, a wide mouthed jar of ink, and a pen that Eirik had crafted specially for him that was easier for him to use with his clawed fingers. He gently shook the bag because at the very bottom of the satchel were several flat stones that Loki used for holding down his paper so he could support himself with one arm as he wrote. The stones clattered out onto the floor, and he scooped them up one by one in his jaws and set them on the corners of the paper. He laid out the rest of his supplies neatly, then stared blankly at the paper and nibbled on the end of his tail.

_What ssshould I sssay,_ Loki pondered, clicking his claws absently against the stone floor. _Nothing too persssonal, asss I don't trussst Odin. He isss too sssneaky, and I don't wisssh for Thor to have any more troublesss if hisss father readsss it._ He picked up the bottle of ink, marvelling again at the stopper Eirik had created that allowed him to open the bottle with his claws instead of needing a human to do it for him. He deftly popped the stopper out and set the bottle on the floor by the paper, dipping his pen carefully in the ink so he could begin.

_Dear Thor,_

_I am ssso sssorry to hear of your mother'sss passsing. Although I don't sssee her much becaussse of her dutiesss, I would be ssso devassstated if anything happened to my mother. I wisssh you were here ssso we might talk face to face about your sssorrows. Asss I told you before, there isss alwaysss room for you at my ssside by the fireplace. I hope to sssee you next year._

_Your friend,_

_Prince Loki_

The prince looked at his writing with a critical eye. The letters were not round and neatly formed like Thor's; instead, they sprawled inelegantly across the paper, shaky and childish looking next to Thor's careful script. _It'sss the thought that countsss_ , Loki told himself sternly, not allowing himself to agonize over his poor penmanship. He left the letter on the floor so the ink could dry and went to wash off his claws in the pool.

Eirik cleared his throat politely. "Would you like me to give this to Odin to take to Thor?"

The lindworm nodded gratefully. "Yesss, pleassse, Eirik. That'sss a good idea."

His servant picked up the paper and folded it neatly. "I shall deliver it immediately, Your Highness."

The prince nodded his head in acknowledgment, and Eirik left swiftly to deliver his letter to Odin. Once his servant had left, Loki clumsily folded Thor's letter back up and took it to his den where it joined his treasured carvings wrapped in the brightly embroidered handkerchief. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to Eirik for making adaptive tools for Loki!!! <3


	11. Messenger of Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, it's the little things that give us hope...

Thor and Balder were sitting by the fire, utterly exhausted from the day's chores, when their father finally came home from Utgard. He walked over to Thor and shoved a folded piece of paper in his face.

"Here, boy," Odin sneered. "The prince 'wrote' you a letter." Thor tried to take it, but his father held fast to it, a nasty glint in his eye.

"How was Prince Loki?" Thor asked, hoping to distract his father so he could get the letter away from him without tearing it.

"How should I know? He wouldn't show himself to me," Odin slurred. "He hid in the shadows like a coward. I'm sure he didn't even write that mess himself."

Balder stared at his father with hard eyes. "Have you been drinking? Because you're being a total ass right now, Father. Give Thor his letter and leave him in peace." 

Odin attempted to slap Balder, but his son grabbed his arm and pushed it away. He stood up and stared his father in the eye. Though not as big and broad as Thor, Balder was still larger and heavier than Odin, making him a poor target for a drunk old man to fight with. "Go sleep it off. I'm in no mood to hear you start in on Thor. Just go."

Odin cringed away from Balder, losing his grip on Thor's letter along with his dignity as he vomited on the floor. Balder swore and jumped back, the disgusting mess narrowly missing his boots.

Thor sighed and stood up too. "Take Father to his room, then you can go on to bed. I'll clean this up." He watched his brother lead Odin down the hall before unfolding his letter from Loki. 

Unlike his father, Thor knew that Loki was able to read and write, and he doubted that the prince would have wanted anyone to write a personal letter for him, not even Eirik. As he opened the final fold, he smiled tenderly at the tipsy lettering, recognizing Loki's handwriting immediately and appreciating the effort it took for the prince to write to him in his own hand. Tears pricked at his eyes as he read Loki's condolences for the loss of his mother and Fandral, but were quickly replaced by a wistful smile at Loki's reminder that Thor was welcome to leave home and stay with him as long as he desired. _Oh if only I could leave right now, Loki. I'm so tired of being alone in my heart. I still love my father, but he will never accept me for who I am. Balder is a good little brother who will grow up to be a fine man, but he'll find a pretty girl soon, marry her, and have children who will inherit the farm someday. I don't mind that, truly I don't, but I'm so very empty right now. From the first day we met, you accepted me as your friend just the way I am, and I accepted you as well. I don't know how much longer Father will be around, but when he's gone, I'll leave the farm to Balder and come stay by your side._

He carefully refolded the letter and put it in his tunic. It took a few minutes to clean up the mess his father had made on the floor before banking the fire for the night and heading to his room. As he undressed, he took Loki's letter out of his tunic and hid it under the creaky floorboard right next to his bed along with the glass vial his mother had given him before her death and the green stone from his very first meeting with Loki. He slid into bed, the sheets chilly against his bare skin. Eventually, they warmed up, and he drifted off to sleep, dreaming that Loki's coils were wrapped around him as they sat in front of the fire in the prince's chamber.

**************************

As fall gave way to winter, Loki's letter became a talisman of sorts for Thor. Whenever he felt upset, he'd retreat to his room and take the paper out and hold it to his chest. He didn't even need to unfold it to know that someone out there cared about him, cared about how he felt, and wanted him to be by their side. The texture of the paper in his hands soothed him and armored him against his father's rudeness and the bitter ache of his mother's death. Just picturing how Loki must have looked while writing to him made him smile when nothing else could. Without the sense of hope that Loki's letter had given him, it would have been all too easy for him to have given up during those dark days of winter.

********************

Spring arrived gently for a change, soft breezes swirling around the house and teasing through the fresh young leaves that had seemingly budded out overnight. One warm day, Thor climbed the hill to visit Frigga's grave. As he reached the summit, he smiled wistfully when he saw the tender shoots of new grass that had sprouted up to cover the bare earth, blending into the lush green carpet that covered the rest of the top of the hill. Looking closer, he realized that the bulbs he and Balder had planted were also poking up through the dirt, stretching upwards towards the sun. In just a few short months, they would bloom in a riot of color to honor Frigga's bright spirit. Thor sighed and sat down, leaning his back against the trunk of the old oak and stretching out his feet.

"I miss you so much, Mother," he said softly, closing his eyes against the bright sun peeping through the leaves. The wind ruffled his hair, and it reminded him painfully of Frigga's gentle touch, making tears gather under his eyelids. He tipped his head back and tried breathing deeply to banish them, but in the end, he let them slide down his cheeks and soak into his beard. When his tears finally ran dry, he sat there for a few minutes and let the sun and wind dry his face.

As he opened his eyes, he saw a golden yellow finch hopping around and pecking at insects in the new grass. It was one of Frigga's favorite birds, and Thor held his breath as it fluttered up and landed on the toe of his boot. It warbled a pretty little song for him before it took wing, golden feathers flashing in the sun. Thor stared after it, stunned, feeling as if the little bird had been a messenger of hope from his mother. He shook his head in amazement as he got up and dusted off his pants, his spirits lighter than they had been in months. He turned to go, but a flash of yellow in the grass caught his eye. He bent over to investigate and found a soft golden feather that must have fallen from the bird. It was almost the same color as Frigga's hair, and Thor ran his finger down it reverently. When he went back into the house, he put the feather into his hiding place with his other precious treasures.

*************

Early summer sent Thor out into the hills with his mother's beautiful carrying sack, seeking out the herbs he remembered her using in many of her medicines. They had recently ran out of the salve that Frigga made for minor injuries, and Thor felt like he could probably make it on his own, since he had often helped his mother in her still room when he was younger. _Comfrey, plantain, burdock,yarrow_ , he chanted, scouring the meadow, hills, and forest. _Mullein, calendula, coneflower_...

Once he had found the herbs he needed, he enlisted Haakon's help to get beeswax and honey from the hives the old man had tended in the meadow for many years. Haakon's abilities with the bees were legendary, and he was able to get Thor what he needed without a single sting. He promised the old man he would return with some salve for him once it was finished.

Odin raised an eyebrow when he saw the brightly embroidered sack Thor was carrying, but thankfully said nothing as his son went past him on the way to Frigga's still room. Thor paused at the locked door for a moment, feeling somewhat like an intruder sneaking into his mother's domain; however, the feeling passed quickly because he knew his mother would be pleased to see him carrying on her work. A quick check of a tiny hidden pocket on the carrying sack revealed the key, and Thor put it in the lock and turned it slowly. The lock clicked and the door swung open, allowing a faint fragrance of herbs and flowers to perfume the hall as he stepped inside, feeling his mother's presence wrap around him like a comforting blanket. It was dark inside, so he pushed open the curtain to let in some daylight, grimacing at the fine layer of dust that lay on the counters and table. He found a mostly clean rag and went to the sink, working the old pump handle until water finally flowed from the tap. He wiped all the dust away with the wet rag, then opened the sack and laid out the herbs he had collected on the table. He set the beeswax and jar of fresh honey on the counter and picked up his mother's book of recipes, rubbing the tooled leather cover gently with his fingertips. Flipping through to her recipe for healing salve, he realized that the herbs would need to be dried first, so he gathered them together in small bunches and hung them from the rafters just as Frigga used to do. He checked the ingredients again and the only thing he was missing was oil, so he went to the kitchen to see what they might have in storage. 

Balder was washing the lunch dishes when Thor wandered in, and he grinned when his brother asked if there was any oil he could use. "Just what are you up to, brother?" he joked, waggling his eyebrows. 

Thor's face turned beet red. "It's not what you're thinking, Balder! I'm trying to make Mother's healing salve for the next time you burn yourself cooking."

"Don't remind me," Balder grimaced, looking at the angry red mark on his arm. "When do you think you'll have it done?"

"Not sure. The herbs have to dry first, so maybe a week or more. I've never made it from scratch before." Thor shrugged. "Guess you'll just have to be careful until then."

Balder snapped his towel at Thor, who laughed and dodged out of the way. "Here, take this before I change my mind," grumbled Balder, holding out an earthenware jug. "Be sure to bring me some of it when you're done!"

Thor took the jug and ruffled his little brother's hair. "Of course I will." He took the oil back to the still room and left it with the other ingredients on the counter. Even though he wasn't working with any truly dangerous herbs, Thor still locked the door and put the key back in its hiding place in Frigga's bag for the time being. _Maybe I should find a more permanent place to put the key. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt accidentally_ , Thor mused.

The next morning when he went out, he glanced up the hill, noticing that some of the bulbs he and Balder had planted in the fall seemed to be in bloom. He sprinted up to the summit and gawked in amazement. Along with some yellow, orange, purple, and pink flowers, there were several dark maroon lilies with gold spots that reminded him of a flowering bush he had seen in Loki's chambers. Thor stood there for a moment, overwhelmed by the beautiful earthbound rainbow. _I know! I'll dry some of these and take them as a gift for Loki, since I know how much he likes plants. I don't think Mother would mind if she were still here, since she always asked me about him after our trips._

He took his time choosing the biggest, brightest flowers to give to Loki on his upcoming trip to Utgard. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) The bird Thor sees is a pine grosbeak, which is native to Norway. The males are red, and the females are golden yellow.
> 
> 2) The herbs that Thor searches for can all be used to make various different healing salves. Honey and beeswax are also common ingredients in such medicines.
> 
> 3) The bulbs are various different types of day lilies


	12. Revelations and Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Loki's relationship finally moves from platonic to romantic/sexual. Oh, and Odin is very ill (but he's a dick, so who cares???)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains: monsterfucking, oral sex, hand jobs, come swallowing/eating
> 
> So.... remember that monsterfucking tag? Well, if that's not your cup of tea, you'll want to skip this chapter, or at least the part after Thor deals with Odin's illness (I'll put a reminder there too.)

Thor strode down the familiar corridor, his traveling pack on his back and the fat young hog trotting briskly at his side, unaware of what fate awaited him on the other side of the great wooden door. Volstagg was there guarding the door as usual, but instead of greeting Thor jovially, he shook his head dismally at the youth. "Himself has been in rare form since ye missed yer meeting last year."

Thor grimaced. "I wanted to come, Volstagg, but when Mother passed away, Father needed me to take care of things on the farm while he brought in the tithes. Honestly, I think he just needed to get away. Too many memories." He took a deep breath to calm his own emotions. "So tell me, what's been going on with Prince Loki?"

Volstagg sighed. "He's been a right brat, truly. Terrorizing th' servants mostly til there's few that want tae risk his anger these days."

Thor acted like he was thinking deeply for a moment, then chuckled "In other words, he's acting just like a spoiled seventeen year old boy."

"Nae," said Volstagg, shaking his head dourly. "I think there's something more tae it than tha'."

Thinking about his own recent embarrassing bodily experiences, a sneaking suspicion about the cause of at least some of Loki's behavior crept into Thor's mind. "Volstagg, is it possible that he may be thinking about... well... mating?"

Volstagg groaned. "Oh gods, lad, I cannae say for certain, but ... D'ye think...?"

"I don't know for certain either, but seventeen wasn't that long ago for me. I seem to remember some very...vexing feelings happening right around then. He likely has no idea what's happening to him or what to do about it."

"And do ye ken what he should 'do about it', then?" Volstagg countered. "He's no' made the same as ye, lad. What ye're thinking of may no' be possible for him."

"I have no idea what Prince Loki may or may not be able to 'do', but at least if he _knows_ what's happening to him, it might make things easier for everyone, perhaps." Thor shrugged. "It's worth a try, right? Now, I suppose I'd best go in, apologize, and see if I'm forgiven." 

Volstagg clapped him on the shoulder."Guid luck, laddie. I'll be here if ye hae need o' me." He opened the heavy oaken door, and Thor went in, dragging the suddenly uncooperative pig with him.

Thor wasn't sure if Loki was actually upset with him or not, so he decided to announce himself just as he had the first time he had met the prince, hoping the good memories of their earlier meetings would help Loki get past his hurt feelings and welcome him back. "Greetings, Prince Loki. I am Thor, son of Odin, and I bring you tribute from my family." For a long moment, there was only silence, and Thor started to worry that the prince was truly angry with him. Finally, he heard the telltale rustle of scales that heralded Loki's approach. Unfortunately, the pig heard it too, and it began fighting the rope in earnest, trying to get away from the hungry predator. Thor tried to hold on, but near the door, Loki's floor was slick stone, and the frantic pig pulled him off balance and took off running.

This year's pig was a dirty fighter, biting, kicking, and squealing porcine defiance at Thor and Loki. Thor cursed himself for not binding its feet when he had the chance, but the full grown pig was much too large for him to carry in easily. The hog darted to the side, and Thor swore as he slipped in a pile of freshly dropped pig dung, missing the chance to grab the angry swine. "Here Loki, let me distract him so you can get a grip on him." He pulled off his cloak and waved it at the pig. The animal paused for a moment, trying to decide which thing was the bigger threat- the loud human or the flapping fabric.

Loki took advantage of the pig's indecision to swiftly wrap his tail around its middle. Once he knew his grip was secure, Loki jerked his tail up in the air, then slammed it against the ground, breaking the pig's neck cleanly.

Thor stared, amazed at Loki's raw strength. He'd never actually seen the prince kill one of the pigs before, and simply assumed that he always squeezed them to death like most snakes would. Loki caught him gawking and immediately released the pig's body and fled into the greenery planted in the earthen hill. Stunned, Thor gazed after him for a moment, then dropped his pack and slowly started walking towards Loki's hiding place.

"Pleassse don't come near me, Thor!" wailed Loki, curling himself into as small of a ball as he could.

"Loki, I'm not afraid of you. You did the right thing. That pig could have easily hurt us both if you hadn't stopped him. Come on out," coaxed Thor, patting Loki's trembling coils. "You need to eat, and I need to get these boots off and clean them. My father won't let me back on the wagon tomorrow smelling like pig shit."

Loki sighed forlornly, curling up even tighter. "I wisssh you weren't leaving sssoo sssoon," he said in a small voice. It'sss sssoo lonely here without you."

Thor hung his head, wishing there was something he could say to make Loki feel better about his imminent departure. He settled for stroking Loki's scales until he finally uncoiled, putting his snout on Thor's shoulder for comfort. Thor put his arms around the prince, feeling his shaking slowly subside. Much to Thor's surprise, Loki wrapped his own arms around Thor's body and hugged him back, twining his coils loosely around Thor's legs and body. They both leaned into the embrace, neither one wanting to be the first to let go. Finally, Thor loosened his hold and Loki reluctantly did the same. As they slowly separated, Loki looked sharply at Thor. 

"What's wrong, Thor?" asked Loki. "Why are you ssssad?"

"Forgive my tears." mumbled Thor, wiping his face. "I wish I _could_ stay here longer, but my father needs me. My mother died a month before the tithing last year, and he's still lost sometimes without her. That's why I wasn't here last fall. I had to take care of things on the farm because he wasn't in his right mind for a while. He's doing better now, though, and my brother is finally old enough to help supervise the workers while Father and I came here. I didn't want to miss seeing you this year too. I can't believe how much you've grown since I saw you last. And look at your scales! The colors are so much deeper than before and there's blue in there too. When did the gold show up?" Thor knew he was babbling, but he just didn't want to think about all the sadness that he had experienced over the past year. Loki's letter was practically the only thing that had kept him sane.

Loki pressed his snout against Thor's chest, feeling Thor's rapid heartbeat through his scales. "I undersssstand. I love my mother too, and I'd misssss her terribly if ssshe were gone." He raised his head and gazed into Thor's eyes. "I missss you terribly when you're gone," he whispered, unable to hold his secret in any longer. 

Thor was shocked that he had never realized that Loki had developed romantic feelings for him over the years, and perhaps a little surprised to find that somehow he shared them too. He had always known that he felt a deep emotional attachment to the prince; however, given the differences in their social standing, Thor had never actively tried to imagine a different kind of relationship with Loki other than the friendship they already shared. And to be honest, he really wasn't sure how any kind of dalliance between them would physically be possible, so he had never allowed such filthy, wicked thoughts to take root, not even in the deepest, darkest corners of his heart. A traitorous part of his mind whispered seductively that he _did_ find Loki beautiful in his own wild way, that he _did_ like touching Loki and being touched by him in return, that he might _enjoy_ it if they were to… He shivered, thinking of how his father would react if he somehow became the lindworm's lover. It was bad enough being caught with a human man as a lover, but Loki… Odin spoke and acted as if the prince were little more than a dumb beast. Gods, his father's anger if he caught them in the act would be a dreadful thing to face... 

With an effort, Thor pushed his dark thoughts away so he could focus on his time with Loki without hurting the prince's feelings. "I missed you too, Loki. Your letter meant a lot to me. It made me feel like someone cared about me," he admitted, gently scratching around Loki's horns and making him hiss contentedly. Thor bit his lip, helplessly imagining that soft sound being made under more intimate circumstances. The very thought of it made his cock twitch in his trousers, and he felt like he was standing at the edge of a dangerous cliff. _Jump or be pushed_? he thought hysterically, not wanting to alarm the prince by shoving his head onto the floor.

"Oh wait, I brought you something!" he exclaimed, quickly pulling his thoughts back to safer ground. "Let me get my pack." Distracted by the promise of a gift, the prince raised his head eagerly, and Thor hopped up and grabbed his pack, undoing the straps as he walked back. He pulled out a flat wooden box carved with snakes and flowers and held it out to Loki as he sat back down next to him on the floor.. 

The prince ran a clawed fingertip over the lid, exploring the delicate textures. "Did you carve thisss for me, Thor? It'sss lovely."

Thor smiled at the praise, glad that Loki liked his gift so far. "Careful when you open it. What's inside is a little fragile."

The lindworm gingerly opened the lid and gasped. "Thessse are ssso beautiful, Thor! Where did you find them?"

"Balder said that our mother gave the bulbs to him before she died. We planted them on her grave last fall, and they just bloomed for the first time this summer. The maroon ones reminded me of a flower I saw in here before, so I thought you might like them. They should last a long time since they're dried."

"Thessse are the loveliesst flowers I've ever been given, Thor. Thank you," Loki beamed, laying his head in Thor's lap for more scratches. Thor sighed and gave in to the sensual torture of sliding his hands over Loki's beautiful scales, wondering how they might find a way to express their feelings more intimately, if that was what Loki desired. 

**********

After he had finished his visit with the prince, Thor entered their borrowed chamber, mulling over the revelation of Loki's feelings for him and the realization of his own. He was alarmed to discover his father was still lying in his bed, his breathing harsh and labored.

"Father? Are you well?" Thor asked, worried for his father's health. He had struggled with his breathing throughout their journey, and Thor had hoped he would improve once they reached the palace. Odin tried to answer but was struck with a terrible coughing fit. "I'm going to ask for a healer," said Thor, heading for the door. As luck would have it, a servant was passing by as the door swung open and heard Odin's coughing. She immediately asked if they needed aid, and when Thor agreed, ran swiftly to find them a healer.

The next few hours were a blur. Several healers came in and out with various ointments and potions for the patient. Each new arrival grated on Thor's nerves. He knew they were only trying to help, but the frantic activity made him jumpy. Finally, Odin lay unbothered in his bed, his breath still rattling in his chest. The last healer listened to his heart and lungs, shaking her head. Odin growled an incomprehensible string of words, and the healer shook her head sternly.

"You'll be going nowhere for the next few days, Master Odin. If you leave here today, you'll likely be dead before you reach home. I have some medicine that I'll give you right now for your lungs. It will help you sleep as well." Odin grumbled, but took the medicine the healer offered. Within a few minutes, his breathing had eased and he drifted off into sleep.

"Will he recover?" Thor asked the healer, worry etched on the sharp planes of his face.

Eir, the senior healer, shrugged. "It's difficult to say. He'll never be cured, if that's what you're asking. In fact, I'm surprised he's lasted this long, to be honest. I'll let Eirik know that you and your men will be staying put for several days, at least. Tomorrow we'll move him to the healer's hall. You may visit as often as you like, but you needn't stay there all the time. My colleagues and I will take good care of him. "

Torn between concern for his father and glee that he would have more time to spend with Loki, Thor bowed respectfully to the healer as she left the room.

******************

(MONSTERFUCKING ALERT- STOP HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THAT!)

*******************

The next morning, Volstagg smiled when he saw Thor coming down the hall. "Thought ye'd be gone already, lad."

"No, my father fell ill, so we'll be staying here for a few more days," Thor replied. "I thought I'd visit Loki again since my father is in the healer's hall."

"I ken Himself will be glad for th' extra company."

"I'm just glad I can make it up to him for missing last year's tithe offering." He laughed, shaking his head at the absurdity of the notion. "Believe it or not, Volstagg, I enjoy spending time with Prince Loki. He's very special to me."

Volstagg raised a curious eyebrow at Thor's choice of words, but shrugged and opened the door to the prince's chamber. As Thor started to walk through, Volstagg cleared his throat. "It's no' my place tae say it but.... I hope ye won't gae breakin' Himself's heart, lad... or yer own." Thor glanced back over his shoulder and nodded briefly in acknowledgment, flashing the older man a bittersweet smile before the door shut behind him.

When he entered, he didn't see Loki right away, but as his eyes adjusted to the dimness, he saw the prince huddled under a tall stand of grass growing on the earthen hill, dragonish arms clutching his middle. Thor walked over and sat down next to him.

"Thor, my ssssstomach feelsssss... funny," complained Loki, bumping Thor's chest with his snout.

Thor pushed his head away affectionately. "Here, let me rub it and see if it helps. You ate that pig awfully fast yesterday. Maybe you just have indigestion." Thor had Loki prop himself up on his bank of soft dirt, his belly exposed. "Tell me how this feels," he said, rubbing circles on the broad, smooth scutes with the heel of his hand. 

"A little lower," hissed Loki. "And pusssh harder."

Thor did as Loki asked, pressing more firmly into his scutes this time. As his hand moved a bit lower, Loki suddenly jerked, his slitted pupils widening in shock.

Thor stopped rubbing immediately. "Did I hurt you, Loki?"

"No, it didn't...hurt. I don't know how to exsssplain how it felt. It wasss very...ssstrange. Not bad, though. "

"Shall I try it again?" queried Thor, his big hand settling lightly on Loki's belly.

"I sssssuppossse," replied Loki, settling back against the earthen wall.

Thor began rubbing the prince's belly again. This time, he felt it more clearly- a slit on Loki's belly that had previously been hidden. He traced it gently with his finger, and Loki shifted restlessly, his forked tongue darting in and out. Thor began to feel arousal stirring treacherously within him again as Loki hissed softly, squirming a little under his hand.

"That feelssss.... good, Thor," murmured Loki. "But pleassse, rub my ssstomach again." 

Thor felt movement under Loki's skin as he pressed down into the ebony and gold scales, and from the opening he just had discovered slowly emerged two smooth, glistening cocks. Now, Thor was not totally surprised at what had revealed itself; once, as a boy, he had accidentally squeezed a snake a little too hard and had seen its twinned penises pop out, covered in wicked looking spikes and hooks. He was actually more astonished at how much Loki's hidden organs looked like human cocks- respectably sized, very erect human cocks. Thor felt an immediate tightening in his groin at the sight of them, wondering if they felt and tasted like a human cock as well. He tried to ignore the sudden pang of desire he felt, telling himself not to take advantage of Loki's innocence. 

Loki, however, was totally shocked and dismayed. "By the godssss, what **_are_** those thingsss? Are thossse sssupposssed to come out of me?" The end of his tail was lashing furiously around him, which Thor had learned was a sign that Loki was very upset. 

Thor patted Loki's arm gently, trying to reassure him. "Relax, Loki, those are just your cocks. That's what you would use to sire children if you had a mate."

"Oh ssssurely not, Thor! How ridiculousss! I mean... do you have sssuch thingssss?" Loki asked curiously.

"Well yes, Loki, but humans only have one cock, not two," mumbled Thor, his cheeks burning.

"What?? I don't believe you! Sssshow me, Thor," demanded Loki, nudging his head against Thor's chest again.

Thor blushed harder, imagining Volstagg or Eirik walking in unexpectedly and seeing him showing his cock to the prince. He'd likely be thrown out of the palace for such a thing- or thrown in the dungeon! He cast a panicked glance around the room and realized that the door had a latch on the inside that was probably never used since Loki rarely bothered to use his hands to grasp things. He went over and carefully tried the mechanism, finding that it still moved easily and quietly. He silently slid the bolt in place, then came back to Loki's side.

"Come on Thor, ssshow me yoursss. I want to ssssssee," whined Loki, rubbing his snout over Thor's groin and between his legs, making him gasp and bite his lip as his cock swelled at the prince's rough caresses.

"Alright Loki," he sighed, unbuckling his belt and pushing his trousers down. After he stepped out of his trousers and boots, he pulled his tunic off, standing before Loki in just his linen underdrawers. Thanks to Loki's nuzzling, his cock was already hard and straining against the fabric, a wet spot forming where the tip touched the thin cloth.

"Mmmmm, what isss that delicious sssssmell?" hissed Loki, his nostrils quivering as he snuffled at Thor's body. He lowered his head to Thor's groin, tongue darting out to taste the dampened fabric. Thor gasped, closing his eyes for a moment as Loki's tongue brushed at his cock curiously, the strong muscle rubbing and teasing him through the soft linen. The lindworm reared back up to look Thor in the eye, tentatively stroking Thor's cheek with his scaly fingers, black claws raking carefully through his thick golden beard. "Sssshow me, Thor... pleasssse," moaned Loki, his voice thick with need.

Thor knew he was crossing a dangerous boundary here, but he realized that he didn't really care what people thought anymore. With steady hands, he untied the drawstring that held his underdrawers up around his waist and let them slide to the floor. "See Loki," he said softly. "My cock is much like yours." He slid his hand slowly down his belly and wrapped it around his cock, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

Loki flared his nostrils, taking in the strong scent of Thor's arousal. Though he might only have a single cock, that one cock was most impressive, both longer and thicker than either of Loki's cocks. As he watched his friend slowly stroke himself, a generous drop of a pearly liquid appeared like magic at the tip of Thor's cock. Loki dropped his snout and lightly licked at the mysterious fluid. It reminded him of the day he had tasted Thor's blood, though this was saltier yet somehow sweeter than his blood, and Loki wanted to have more. Above his head, he could hear Thor breathing roughly as his darting tongue continued to tease the head of his friend's cock, hoping more of the tasty liquid might come out.

"Wait... Loki ... Wait," panted Thor. "This wasn't supposed to be for my pleasure. I wanted you to learn how to please yourself."

Loki shot Thor a puzzled look. "But I like how you tasssste. It pleassesss me" he wheedled. "Will there be more?"

Thor groaned, his cock throbbing at the thought of Loki lapping up his seed. "Soon, Loki," he promised. "But first, I want to touch you. Can I do that?"

"Yessssss," said the prince. "What sssshould I do?"

"Here, lay back down... or would you rather be in your pool?"

"Hmmmm, the pool ssssoundsss lovely. Let'sss go." Loki slithered awkwardly towards the water, trying not to let his exposed penises scrape against the floor. He heaved a sigh of relief as he pulled his body over the edge and into the warm water. "Ooohhhh, that'sss sssooo good, Thor! Come on, get in!"

The large pool was deeper than Thor expected, the heated water coming nearly to his waist. As he waded towards the prince, Loki snickered, pointing a claw at Thor. Looking down, he saw what had amused the prince- just the head of his cock was jutting out above the surface, gently bobbing in the swirling water. Thor laughed too and settled down on a submerged stone seat next to Loki. The prince had positioned himself so his cocks were just out of the water, laying against his scutes. Thor looked at Loki for permission; when the prince nodded shyly, Thor gently wrapped his hand around one of Loki's cocks. A tremor ran through Loki's body, sending ripples through the pool.

"How does that feel, Loki? Do you like it?" Thor asked, giving his cock a few light strokes.

"That'sss sssooo good, Thor," Loki whimpered. "Ssssqueeze it tighter pleasssse." Thor complied, and Loki growled, startling them both.

Recovering quickly from the surprise, Thor chuckled. "I didn't know lindworms could make a sound like that!"

Loki grinned back at him, sharp teeth glinting. "Apparently, they do- or at leassst I do! Don't worry, I very much liked what you were doing."

As Thor resumed stroking Loki's cock, he casually asked, "Do you want to try touching your other cock too?"

Loki tilted his head, mulling it over for a moment. Slowly, he slid his hand down his belly, scales rustling softly as he went lower and lower. When he finally reached his cock, he ran one clawed finger carefully across the head, marvelling at the feel of his slick spreading over the sensitive skin. He looked at his glistening fingertip for a moment, then brought it up to his mouth so he could taste it. Thor watched the prince lick at his finger with his forked tongue, his blue eyes darkening with desire. 

"Would you like to tasssste it, too?" Loki asked hesitantly, reaching down to gather more slick on his finger. Thor nodded and opened his mouth eagerly for Loki's finger, wrapping his warm lips around it as he sucked it clean. Bubbles frothed around them as Loki's tail lashed around under the water, growls rumbling in his throat. Thor let his finger slip slowly from between his lips, and Loki whimpered. 

"If you want, I can use my mouth on your cock instead of my hand," Thor offered quietly, not daring to look Loki in the face. He felt Loki's clawed hand under his chin, raising his blushing face up until their eyes met. Loki's slitted pupils were wide with hunger, making his emerald eyes appear almost black.

"I think I ssssshould like to try that. Your mouth felt exssscellent jussst now."

Thor scooted down until his face was level with Loki's cock. He licked gently at the head, enjoying the taste of Loki's slick before he wrapped his mouth around the head and sucked gently. A wave of water sloshed over the side of the pool as Loki's tail slapped the surface hard. Taking that as a sign of enjoyment, Thor took Loki's cock deeper into his mouth, running his tongue along it as he bobbed his head. Dimly he heard Loki growling and cursing, but he didn't stop moving forward until he could feel Loki's scales brushing the tip of his nose. A light touch on his head startled him until he realized that Loki was gently touching his hair, running his claws through the golden strands. Thor hummed contentedly, the tender caresses making him feel almost drowsy with pleasure. A snarl on his hair unexpectedly caught on Loki's claws and the prince jerked his hand hard, trying to free himself. Thor groaned and shuddered, the accidental sharp pull on his hair going straight to his groin. Loki tried to apologize, but Thor pulled off of his cock and shushed him with a finger against the end of his snout.

"It's okay, Loki. It felt good when you pulled my hair. You can do it again, if you like." He slipped back down and took Loki's cock back into his mouth, sucking it hard and fast, loving how it felt to have Loki's body trembling underneath him. The prince's hand drifted back to his head and his long golden hair was now twined around Loki's fingers. Thor could feel the tips of the lindworm's claws against his scalp and neck, making him shiver at the thought of them raking his back as he rode first one of Loki's cocks, then the other. He glanced over to the side where he was pleased to see Loki's other hand tugging hard at his second cock. Thor matched the speed of his mouth to the pace of the prince's hand, making Loki undulate wildly beneath him. Without warning, the lindworm growled loudly and the cock in Thor's mouth began to pulse, spurting Loki's seed onto his tongue. Thor sucked harder, milking every drop from it until Loki pulled at his hair weakly. Looking up and meeting Loki's dazed eyes, Thor slowly let the prince's cock slip from between his reddened lips, brazenly licking away the last traces of come from the corners of his mouth. 

"Godsss," Loki hissed, his coils twitching. The hand not tangled in Thor's hair was still restlessly moving on his other cock, but it remained stubbornly hard and unsatisfied. 

"Let me touch you, Loki," begged Thor, stroking the prince's iridescent scales. "I want to make you come again."

"What do you mean, 'come'? What issss that?" Loki huffed, his body still shuddering from his first orgasm.

"It's when your seed comes out of your cock" Thor replied, planting a quick kiss on the swollen head peeking out of Loki's fist, making the prince growl again.

"But it already did," Loki pointed out.

"On the one side, yes, but here you're still hard, so I think I can make you come again. Will you let me try?" asked Thor, rubbing his thumb over the head of Loki's cock and making him moan lustfully.

"Oh yessss, Thor! Yesss! Make me come again!" the prince cried out passionately, twining his tail around Thor's body. 

Wasting no time, Thor wrapped his hand around Loki's erection and started stroking him, slowly at first, then picking up speed until Loki's body convulsed, his tail tightening around Thor's waist and thighs and his cock pumping come onto his belly. When he was finished coming, he released his coils and slumped against the side of the pool. As Loki lay there limply, basking in the afterglow of his pleasure, Thor used his fingers and tongue to clean the come from the prince's belly, rinsing him off with warm water at the end to make sure no embarrassing residue was left behind on his scales as his cocks retreated back inside of Loki's body.

With Loki satisfied at last, Thor took his own aching cock in hand, stroking it ruthlessly until he came hard, his other hand cupping the head and catching his seed with his fingers. Gasping, he held his shaking hand out to Loki, who greedily licked up the come dripping from his fingers.

"That wasss amazing, Thor," Loki panted. "I had no idea thissss would feel ssssooo..." He gestured helplessly, struggling to put his feelings into words.

Thor smiled and snuggled up close to Loki's side, throwing a muscular arm over his belly and giving him a firm squeeze. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, Loki. I was hoping I could make you feel good."

Embarrassed, Loki ducked his head. "I didn't enjoy myself jussst becaussse I came, Thor. I enjoyed it mossstly becaussse it was with you," the prince confessed shyly.

Touched by his innocent honesty, Thor's arm tightened around Loki's middle again, and he rested his head against the prince's scaly chest. Loki hesitantly wrapped his arms around Thor's broad shoulders, stroking his tanned skin with his clawed fingers. Thor sighed contentedly and planted a kiss over Loki's heart. 

"When will I sssee you again, Thor? Mussst I wait another year?" asked Loki plaintively 

"Mmmm, I think my father may need to stay at least another day, maybe two. I should be able to visit you again tomorrow for sure. I'll ask the healers and see what they say about Father's health," Thor replied. 

"I wisssh you could ssstay forever," the prince sighed, slipping his coils around Thor's legs again until he had him snugly cocooned. "Maybe I'll keep you jusssst like thissss and not let you go." 

Thor stroked his scales with a wistful smile. "You know, I wish you could come back with me to my father's lands. Our house isn't a palace, but it's comfortable and warm. We even have a hot spring to soak in. You could meet my little brother Balder, and I'd take you out into the hills and..."

"Isss your brother like you?" Loki interrupted curiously. 

"We look a bit alike, and we're both usually easy to get along with. He tends to do well with the animals we raise, but he doesn't love snakes- he's deathly afraid of them, in fact," Thor admitted. 

"Sssso you don't think he'd like me?" Loki pouted.

"When he was younger, he was bitten by a mountain viper and nearly died, so I don't know how he'd react to you. I'd like to think he'd try to get to know you for my sake."

"And your father?"

Thor laughed bitterly. "I'm already a filthy pervert in his eyes, but maybe he'd like that I was fucking a prince instead of a pigherd. He's not been happy with me since he caught me in the hayloft with Fandral."

"Who isss that?" A hint of jealousy burned in Loki's throat. 

Thor sighed heavily. "The boy I thought I loved when I was younger. Remember a few years ago when you saw that my father had beaten me with his belt? We had just finished making love when he caught us. Anyway... I think I told you in my letter that Fandral was killed by brigands over the winter trying to defend our damned pigs. Gods, I wanted to kill them all for what they did to him that day. That's why I still keep up with my weapons training."

Loki's flare of jealousy died quickly. "I'm sssorry, Thor. It mussst have hurt very much to lossse him."

"Yes, it did. Have you ever lost someone close to you, Loki?"

"Yesss, I lossse him every year," whispered Loki, voice breaking with sorrow.

"Oh, Loki," Thor breathed, caressing his head with a trembling hand. Loki whimpered and leaned into the touch, tightening his coils gently around Thor in a tender embrace. "My father is not well these days, you know. When he goes to join my mother, I will leave the farm to Balder and come to you." He smiled mischievously at the lindworm. "I believe you offered me a job as a guardsman."

Loki looked at him, hope shining brightly in his green eyes. "Asss I sssaid before, you ssshall guard my chambers from the inssside, and I ssshall alwaysss feel sssafe if I'm in your armsss."


	13. Exploration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Loki figure out some very enjoyable ways to spend their extra time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another monsterfucking chapter. Avert your delicate eyes if that's not your thing. Otherwise...
> 
> Tags for this chapter: Anal fingering, masturbation, fisting, bulge kink, monsterfucking, anal sex, oral sex, rimming, come swallowing

Thor awoke from his sleep, the half forgotten threads of a dream spinning off into the rough fabric of wakefulness. He shifted slightly under the linens, groggily realizing that his cock was hard as it often was in the morning. Memories of touching Loki the previous day had him reaching down to take himself in hand, groaning as he spread his slickness over the head and shaft of his cock. He worked his hand slowly at first, thinking of how Loki had moaned, the prince writhing under him as he had sucked one of his cocks. Thor bit his lip, a soft gasp escaping as he remembered the taste of Loki's come on his tongue. He sucked at two of his fingers, making them as wet as he could, and spread his knees wide. Slowly Thor teased at his tight opening. He hadn't touched himself this way in a long time, and the feel of his finger sliding inside was almost enough to make him come right then and there. He waited for the urgency to subside, breathing slowly until he was ready to continue. After one finger felt comfortable, he pressed the second one in as well, eventually relaxing into the stretch. Stroking his cock languidly, Thor sought out the secret spot inside of him that made his pleasure more intense. He felt the warm rounded bump and rubbed it firmly, groaning and wishing Loki was here to tease him with his clever tongue. Thoughts of the prince made his cock throb and Thor began stroking himself faster, his fingers thrusting in harder until he orgasmed, striping his quivering stomach with streaks of come. He lay there for a moment, breathing hard. 

When he finally felt like moving, Thor swung his legs out of bed, wincing at the feel of the cold stone floor under his feet. He padded to the small garderobe to relieve himself, shaking his head in disbelief at how much come was clinging to his skin. Afterwards, he quickly washed up in the basin and dumped the dirty water down the garderobe shaft as well. He dried his skin briskly and dug into his travel pack for clean clothing.

*************************

Once dressed, he ate breakfast with the guards, not wanting to press his luck by eating in the Great Hall, just in case someone had mentioned to the King or Queen that their eldest son had been entertaining a visitor for several hours. His next stop was the healer's wing to see how his father was doing. Odin's one eye lit up when he saw Thor, but his hands were still shaky as he reached up to embrace his son.

"How are you, Father?" Thor asked, perching gingerly on the side of his bed.

"The healers say I can go home tomorrow, or maybe the next day, " Odin rasped, croaking like an old raven. Thor poured him a glass of water from the pitcher sitting on a small table next to the bed. Odin drank half and cleared his throat. "Aaaah, you take good care of me, my son." He sipped at the rest of the water as if it were a glass of fine wine. "Can you make the arrangements for the wagon and our men? I'll want to leave as soon as the healers say I can. I know Balder is capable of running things now, but I'm sure your brother will be glad to have us back nonetheless." 

Thor's heart sank, but he nodded dutifully. "Yes, Father. I'll see to it right away." He kissed Odin's wrinkled cheek and left, emotions swirling painfully in his chest. The healer he remembered from the day before was coming down the hall, and Thor beckoned to her. "Eir, I was hoping to see you. When do you think my father will be well enough to leave?"

Eir looked sternly at him. "Definitely not tomorrow, perhaps the day after - _if_ I think he's ready."

Thor chuckled ruefully. "So he was lying, the stubborn old goat. I didn't think he looked ready, but he just doesn't want to listen, does he? I hope he heeds your advice better than he does mine."

The healer's face softened a bit. "I thought you'd be trying to urge him to go home sooner than he should," she admitted wryly.

"No, no, I'm sure my brother has everything under control. The only thing my father needs to do right now is get well. It serves no one if we get twenty miles down the road and he falls ill again with no healer in sight," Thor said truthfully, though his main reason for wanting to stay longer was housed in a totally different wing of the palace than his ailing father. 

Eir looked at the tall young man with compassion in her eyes. "Thor, you need to understand something. Your father…" She looked down at the floor for a moment, then looked up into his eyes. "Your father will likely not make it to another tithing season. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but I thought you should be prepared. I can give you medicines to help make him more comfortable, but there is no cure for his illness."

Thor stared at her blankly. He knew he should feel sad at the imminent loss of his father so soon after his mother's death, but honestly, he just felt numb. He loved his father, but at times, he hated and feared him just as much. And when Odin was gone, he could finally spend as much time as he wanted to with Loki…

"Thor? Thor?? Are you okay?" Eir was looking at him, concerned about his reaction to her news.

He focused on the healer, giving her a wan smile. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking about how to break the news to my brother. It's only been a year since our mother passed away, you know."

She patted his arm gently. "I understand, Thor. Try to take it easy and get some rest. Your father and brother will need your strength in the days to come."

********************************

After checking in on his father, Thor decided to go visit Loki and spend as much time there as he could manage. He wanted to be a bit more prepared this time in case Loki felt like trying anything more... unusual, so he found his way down to the kitchen and flashed his brightest smile at the elderly woman he found kneading dough by herself at the counter. 

"What can I do for you, young man?" she asked cheerfully, still pummeling the dough as she looked him over keenly.

"Good morning, my name is Thor. My father and I brought Prince Loki a pig yesterday as part of our yearly tribute, and I noticed some of his skin was looking quite dry. I was wondering if I could get some oil to put on his scales; otherwise, his skin might crack and get infected."

"Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed. "I can't leave the dough right now, but look in the third cabinet there. There should be some jugs of oil in there. Take whatever you think you'll need."

Thor quickly found the stoneware jugs filled with oil. They were larger than he expected, and he uncorked one to make sure there were no herbs or spices inside that could cause them problems in any intimate locations. "One should be enough I think. It wasn't a very large dry patch, but better safe than sorry, right?"

"Oh absolutely, dearie." She paused for a moment to catch her breath. "It's kind of you to help look after him, the poor thing. It's not his fault what happened to him. No good ever comes from asking fairies for help, if you ask me." She covered the dough with a cloth so it could rise before baking. Dusting her hands off, she smiled up at Thor. "Would you like a bit of a snack to take with you?'

Thor nodded politely and was quickly rewarded with several meat pies. Some were wrapped in a plain white cloth, and some in a checkered cloth, and he looked at her for an explanation. 

"The white cloth holds ones for the prince, and the others are for you. I don't know if he should eat anything spiced, so his are just plain meat. Yours are my usual recipe. Prince Loki's brother likes them a great deal." She reached down and grabbed a basket from under the counter. "Why don't you put everything in here?"

"Thank you so much," Thor gushed, putting the jug of oil in on the bottom and covering it with the meat pies. You've been so helpful to me."

The old woman patted his arm fondly. "Just tell the prince that Hilda sends her greetings."

"I will. Thank you again." Thor smiled and Hilda pinched his cheek. He swept her a formal bow, and she laughed heartily before shooing him out of the kitchen. 

**************************** 

Loki slithered out of the shadows and into his arms as soon as the door boomed shut. "Come with me, I wisssh to ssshow you sssomething "

Thor let Loki pull him along to the steaming pool. Loki flopped down beside the water's edge and Thor followed suit. 

"Sssoo, lassst night, my ssstomach was feeling ssstrange again, and I dissscovered that if I put my hand inssside the opening where my cocksss are, it feelsss very good, and they come out without squeezsssing," Loki said proudly, excited to share his discovery with Thor.

"That's good...wait... what? You put your hand inside? Your whole hand?" Thor shook his head in disbelief. The prince's words were enough to cause his cock to start stirring in his trousers at the mere thought of Loki touching himself that way; however, the next words from the prince coupled with his actions fanned the sparks of desire straight into an inferno.

"Here, I'll ssshow you," Loki's slender arm moved into position and he wrapped his fingers around his thumb, making sure his claws were tucked in. Thor watched hungrily as Loki deftly slid his fist and part of his forearm into the hidden slit that Thor had discovered yesterday. Loki shivered as he slowly worked his fist deeper. "If I twissst my hand like thisss, I like how it feelsss," Loki panted, pulling his hand back a little and rocking his forearm gently from side to side as he pushed it back in. "It feelsss like I'm touching both of my cocksss when I do thissss."

Mesmerized, Thor stared intently at Loki's belly, biting his lip until a burst of copper flooded his mouth. The lindworm turned to him, scenting his blood in the air, and Thor's body quivered as Loki's tongue flicked against his lower lip, teasing droplets of blood from the split flesh. 

"Do you remember the day the nasssty little pig hurt you?" Loki asked dreamily, bloodied tongue lolling from his jaws. "I ssswore that day that your blood was the sssweetessst thing I would ever tassste. I never would have guesssed you would prove me wrong sssomeday." The lindworm nudged him with his snout, and Thor blushed, remembering how Loki had eagerly licked his seed from his fingers just yesterday. "Tell me, Thor," the prince continued, gazing at him with a predator's eyes. "Do you ssssuppossse your cock would fit inssside me there? I ssshould like to find out perhapsss, if you're willing."

Loki's request swiftly brought Thor's more than half-hard cock to full aching erection inside his trousers. He had actually been fantasizing about that very thing as he had watched Loki's belly bulge slightly as his fist and forearm moved inside of him, wondering how it would look if his cock were in there instead. Thor was ravenous with lust at the thought of penetrating Loki and filling him up with his seed; yet a shred of sanity and self-control sent him to the basket he had brought from the kitchen first.

"What are you doing, Thor, having a sssnack firssst? Ssssoundsss like a good idea. Hilda'ssss piesss are the bessst," giggled Loki, snatching a pie from the plain white cloth and eating it in two bites.

"No, I brought something that should make this safer and more comfortable for us both." Thor grunted as he quickly stripped out of his clothes and grabbed the oil. He paused a moment, grabbed one of his own meat pies, and gobbled it down almost as quickly as Loki had. 

"Ahhhh, you're sssssoo thoughtful, Thor," Loki purred, licking at the crumbs around his mouth and in his beard. "Doesss poor Hilda know what you're usssing that oil for?"

"I suspect she might actually approve... if she knew. Which she doesn't, by the way!" Thor babbled, flustered by Loki's teasing. He climbed atop the lindworm, poured some oil onto his hand, and traced Loki's slit with slick fingers, slipping them gently inside to see if what the prince had asked would even be possible. Thor was not a small man, but it seemed like the opening would be able to accommodate his girth without tearing any of Loki's scales, which made Thor sigh with relief. He slicked up his cock with the oil, feeling Loki squirming between his thighs as he straddled him. He looked over his shoulder at the prince. "If it hurts, or you don't like it, tell me and I'll stop right away," Thor promised.

"I trusssst you, Thor," replied the lindworm. "Go on now, I want to sssee how you feel inssside me."

Thor took a deep breath and eased the head of his cock into the slit on Loki's belly. It was snug, but not painful, so he pressed in a bit further. Loki's body briefly tensed, then relaxed, and Thor looked behind him to make sure the prince was still okay.

"I'm jusssst fine, Thor, don't worry. Keep doing exssssactly what you're doing, and I'll jussst lay here and enjoy the view," Loki chuckled, patting Thor's muscular backside.

Thor's cheeks flamed, realizing that Loki had a rather intimate view of his arse since he had to face the opposite direction and sit astride him to put his cock inside of the prince. Pushing down his embarrassment, Thor focused on his cock, watching as it slowly slid further into the mysterious space that held Loki's cocks. 

As he suspected, the further in he went, the bigger the bulge grew under Loki's scales from being filled by Thor's cock. The sight fascinated him, and he put one hand on top of the bulge to see what it felt like when he moved. He began thrusting faster, Loki's full lower belly shifting deliciously under his hand as he moved in and out. On either side of him, it felt like the prince's twin cocks were stirring to wakefulness, tightening the passageway and adding glorious friction to Thor's cock.

"Oh gods, I'm going to come," groaned Thor. "Inside or out?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just as we are right now or on your belly," Thor gasped, caressing the scales stretched tight over his cock.

"Inssside, Thor," growled Loki "I want you to fill me up with your sssseed." Almost before Loki finished speaking, Thor's orgasm overwhelmed him, and he shook as he came hard, his seed spurting hotly inside the prince and leaking out around Thor's cock. As Thor slid carefully out of Loki's secret opening, the lindworm's cocks began to emerge, already dripping with Thor's come.

"That wassss very interesssting," hummed Loki, idly running a clawed finger through the sticky mess on his belly and swirling it around on his scales. "What ssshall we do now?"

"Well, I have an idea, but you'll have to be patient with me. I haven't done it in a while, and it takes a little preparation first," Thor explained, reaching for the jug of oil. He laid his cloak on the ground and settled down on top of it, grabbing his discarded clothes to use as a pillow. He poured more oil on his fingers and spread his legs just as he had earlier in his own bed.

"Will you let me sssee?" the prince whispered, eyes glistening with desire.

"Oh yes," rasped Thor, sliding his slick hand between his legs. Loki's eyes were glued on Thor's glistening fingers, staring mesmerized as they teased at his hole. Since he had already stretched himself earlier that morning, Thor took two fingers easily and was quickly ready to add a third, moaning softly as he did. Confused, but aroused, Loki stroked his cocks tentatively, not sure what Thor was going to ask him to do next.

Once he felt like he was ready, Thor slowly slipped his fingers out of his slick, stretched hole and crawled up on top of Loki. He found it a bit awkward to try to straddle Loki because the prince's second cock was in the way now. The best he could do was one leg hanging down along Loki's side and the other folded under him between the lindworm's two cocks, almost like a court lady riding sidesaddle. He almost lost his balance, only to feel Loki's tail underneath him holding him up.

"Asss prince, I ssshould alwaysss sssupport my loyal sssubjectsss asss they ssseek to ssserve the Crown in their endeavorsss, yesss?" Loki joked, waggling his brow ridges at Thor who laughed heartily and patted the muscular coil beneath him. 

"It's excellent support indeed, Your Highness. Your loyal subject thanks you from the bottom of his heart."

Held up by Loki's strong, supple tail, Thor reached down and grasped the nearest of Loki's cocks, coating it with oil from Hilda's jug. The prince squirmed at the feeling of Thor's slick fingers on his sensitive flesh. 

"Hold still Loki, it will make this a lot easier if you're not wriggling all over the place," Thor grumbled, almost slipping off of the prince's oily scales. 

Loki laughed breathlessly, still squirming. "Exssscussse me, I'm jussst very exssscited. It'sss my first time for thissss, you know."

Thor stroked Loki's cock a few times to make sure he was ready, then pressed the head against his loosened opening. Even with Thor's preparations, it was still a tight fit, and Loki growled as Thor slowly pressed himself down on the prince's cock.

"Are you sssure you're not part sssnake, Thor?" the lindworm teased.

"What do you mean, Loki?" Thor gasped as he finally took in the last of the prince's cock, feeling warm scaly skin underneath him.

"You're sssqueezing me sssoo tight inssside of you. It'sss like you want to devour me," the prince hissed slyly, sliding his clawed hands up Thor's thighs.

Thor grinned cheekily. "Oh, I haven't even begun to really squeeze you yet," he laughed as he clenched his muscles tightly around Loki's cock. The prince shuddered at the sensation, claws digging lightly into Thor's thighs. 

Thor began to move his hips, slowly finding his balance atop Loki's muscular body. The lindworm hissed at the pleasurable friction, trying to stay still so he wouldn't knock Thor off balance. Once Thor was able move more confidently, he began to tease Loki, rocking and swiveling his hips as he searched for the right angle to please them both. Once he found it, he began rolling his hips in earnest, making Loki hiss in pleasure.

"Thor, I think I'm clossse," Loki growled, undulating his body under Thor's arse and driving his cock in deeper. Thor responded by raising his hips up and slamming them back down, making them both moan. 

"Yesss, do that again, pleassse," Loki whimpered, and Thor was happy to oblige, feeling the prince's cock stiffen inside of him. In a matter of moments, he was coming hard inside of Thor, who waited until he couldn't feel any more spurts of Loki's seed before easing himself off of the prince's cock

Loki looked at him, slitted pupils wide with pleasure. "What ssshall we do now, Thor? I..." 

Before Loki could finish his thought, Thor grinned wickedly and reversed his seat atop the lindworm, leaning forward to take Loki's second cock in his mouth. Loki growled as Thor took his cock deep, flicking at the head with his warm tongue. As Thor sucked, he arched his back, giving Loki a good look at how the prince's come was dripping from his hole. Loki curved his neck so his tongue could lap at the streaks of come on the insides of Thor's thighs; once finished, his tongue teased its way higher and investigated the loosened pucker, licking away the come until only clean skin remained. Thor shivered at the delicious feel of the prince's tongue pressing slowly into his arse almost as if it were a very long agile cock.

"That feelsss good?" Loki asked curiously, probing him deeper, the forked end of the prince's tongue wiggling inside him.

"Oh gods yes. Please don't stop what you're doing there," Thor begged, feeling his own cock starting to harden again. 

Loki obliged him for several minutes, enjoying how his lover writhed against his scales. But as his desire grew hotter, he boldly asked, "Thor, would you sssit assstride me again? I want to be inssside you, come inssside you."

Thor let the prince's cock slide out his mouth, planting a kiss on the sensitive tip. Looking down, he found the jug of oil again and slicked up Loki's erection, then scooted forward until he was in position. Loki positively snarled as Thor teasingly rubbed the head against his hole, cock sliding in much more easily this time as he pressed down. The lindworm's tail curled around to support him again as he started to move.

With Thor facing towards his tail this time, Loki was able to truly enjoy the sight of his cock sliding in and out of Thor's hole, slick and glistening with oil. His clawed hands reached out tentatively to grip Thor's hips and hold him in place as the lindworm slowly began to undulate beneath him. Thor gasped as the prince's cock speared him deep again and again, the lindworm's claws digging into his hips and leaving scratches on his pale skin. 

"Oohhhh yessss," Loki hissed as he felt his second orgasm approaching. His coils tightened momentarily as his seed spurted into Thor for the second time. Thor cursed and held on tight until Loki was finally still beneath him.

Once the prince had finished, Thor pulled off his spent cock and turned around to face Loki, his own cock achingly hard again. As he worked it with his hand, Loki could feel his thighs trembling with his impending climax.

"Do you want to taste me again, Loki?" 

"Oh yesss, Thor, pleassse," the lindworm whimpered, forked tongue flickering from his jaws. "What do you wisssh me to do?"

"Why dont you put your chin here in my hand?" he said, holding his free hand out to Loki. The lindworm bent his neck in a sinuous curve and delicately placed his lower jaw on top of Thor's outstretched hand. "Now open your mouth," he panted, shaking with desire. Loki obeyed quickly, and Thor brought his cock close to the prince's open mouth, watching out for his sharp teeth

"Oh, Loki," he groaned as he reached his peak, come spattering across Loki's tongue. The lindworm swallowed greedily, relishing the salty taste of Thor's seed.

Thor was the first to move, wincing as he swung his leg over Loki's stomach. He grabbed his underdrawers and tried to clean them both up, but some of the sticky mess had already begun to dry on Loki's scales.

"Go on, get in the pool. I'll help scrub you off," promised Thor, feeding him the last of Hilda's plain meat pies and taking a spiced one for himself. The water barely rippled as Loki slipped in, ducking his head under in case any of Thor's seed still clung to his jaws. Thor limped over to the steps and slowly made his way into the hot water, wincing as it reached his newly tender areas.

Loki looked at him with concern. "Isss everything all right, Thor? Are you hurt?"

Thor reached over and rubbed his snout reassuringly. "I'm fine, Loki. Just a bit sore is all. Thankfully we won't be leaving tomorrow, so I won't have to do any riding first thing in the morning."

Loki sighed. "Will you be able to ssspend sssome time with me before you leave? I will missss you even more now that we've…" He gestured at Thor's body.

Thor smiled and laid his cheek against Loki's jaw, stroking his scales with a gentle hand. "Of course I'll come see you tomorrow, Loki. I may not have much time because we usually go to the market to pick up things we don't make or grow ourselves, but I promise I won't leave you without saying goodbye."

Loki curled his neck so his head rested on Thor's chest. He could feel his lover's strong heartbeat through his smooth, warm skin. "Promissse me that sssomeday, you'll ssstay with me. It'sss the only thing that will make thisss bearable," Loki said dejectedly.

Thor slipped his arm around Loki's neck. "Eir says my father isn't going to live much longer because of his illness. When he's gone, I'll come for you. I promised you this before, don't you remember?"

"Oh Thor, I'm sssorry. I didn't realize he wasss ssso ill," Loki replied, wrapping his coils around Thor in a comforting embrace.

"She said he probably won't last another year. I'll have to come and lay claim to his lands since my brother is so young, but I know he can handle the responsibility. He's very smart and capable, and I'd like you to meet him someday. Maybe we could take a trip to the farm together. Would you like that?"

"I've never ssspent time away from the palace before. It would be interesssting to sssee sssomewhere new, I sssuppose," mused Loki.

"Well, then, we'll keep that in mind for when the time comes. Here, let me finish cleaning you up, and then we can sit by the fire together. How does that sound?" asked Thor, hands moving gently on Loki's scales under the water.

Loki hissed in contentment, his tail swishing idly and making streams of bubbles around Thor's legs. "That sssoundsss lovely, Thor." He put his snout underwater and blew bubbles too, making Thor laugh and splash water at him. Chuckling, Loki heaved himself up out of the pool and slithered over to the fireplace to dry.

Thor sighed and regretfully left the hot pool, grabbing his clothes as he went. He sank down next to Loki and let the heat from the fire wash over his bare skin. The prince stared into the flames dreamily, the end of his tail gently stroking Thor's legs, and Thor leaned back, using Loki's larger coils to support him.

"I wisssh I could go with you when you leave," said Loki sadly, nudging Thor's hip with his nose.

Thor ran his hand down Loki's scales, marveling at how small and delicate they were on his face, like a miniature mosaic of emerald and ebony. "I would take you with me now if I could, but you know that's not possible yet. I swear to you, Loki, that I will return to you as soon as I am able. I'll swear it in blood, if you like."

"That'sss not necessssary, Thor. I trussst you to keep your word," hissed Loki softly.

Thor leaned over and kissed his forehead. "If nothing changes with my father's health, I'll certainly see you at the tithing next year. You could always send me another letter."

Loki groaned dramatically. "Pleassse Thor, no more lettersss. My hand wasss sssore for daysss after that. Besssidessss, I doubt you'd want me to expressss certain thingsss on paper, would you?"

Thor blushed, imagining his father's horrified reaction to a salacious letter from the prince. "Fine, no new letters. I'll keep rereading the one I have, I guess." He stretched, muscles rippling under his fire-kissed skin. "I suppose I should dress and go figure out what we need to purchase before we leave. I don't know, maybe my father already has a list already made for me. The sooner I know what we need, the quicker I can buy everything and have time left to spend with you." He pulled on his tunic, then gave a disgusted look at his sticky underdrawers. He pulled his trousers over his bare skin instead and laced them up quickly.

Loki nosed at the pile of linen laying on the ground. "It sssmellsss jussst like you. Can I keep them pleassse?"

Thor scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed by Loki's request. "I suppose so, but for the love of the Gods, keep them somewhere safe! I'd rather not have Eirik or Volstagg asking me about them- or anyone else, for that matter."

"I'll put them deep inssside my den. No one goesss in there but me. Then I can sssmell you when I sssleep," Loki said shyly.

"All right then, they're yours," Thor said, clambering to his feet. "I'll find out what I need to do tomorrow morning, and then once I'm finished at the market, I'll come visit you again. Fair enough?"

Loki raised his head up so Thor could kiss his nose in farewell. "Fair enough. I hope I'll sssee you sssoon, Thor."

"Tomorrow, Loki," promised Thor, giving him one last kiss before leaving. 

After Thor was gone, Loki curled back up by the fire, wishing that Thor was still here with him, wrapped up comfortably in his coils. He laid his head protectively over Thor's gift, breathing in their mingled scents on the soft fabric. _Tomorrow_ , he thought sleepily. _I ssshall ssssee my love again tomorrow._ He closed his eyes and gave himself over to sleep. 

  
  
  



	14. Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Odin is nearly well again, so Thor and Loki have one more chance to be together before Thor has to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, the boys are at it again! No crazy new tags, just the usual monsterfucking 😉

When all was said and done, Thor _hated_ shopping in Utgard- the crowds, the noise, and the haggling were all so overwhelming to a man used to the relative quiet of life on a farm. But, there were things the farm and its workers needed that they couldn't produce for themselves, so Thor did his best to purchase what was on his father's list. Bolts of soft linen, thread for lace making, fine needles for embroidery, small panes of glass, and more filled the scrubbed down wagon that had carried their pigs to the tithing.. As the last item was checked off and stowed away, Thor breathed a sigh of relief. He'd managed to get everything on the list and even had a bit of money left over, which he knew would please his father. 

"If you don't mind, I'll head back to my cousin's now. I'll see you lads in the morning," said Rolf. Thor waved him on, relieved that he didn't have to spend more time in the older man's presence; in fact, he found himself hoping that Rolf would decide to stay in Utgard with his cousin permanently. 

Looking up at the sky, Thor was shocked at how long the shopping had taken. Even if he could somehow arrive at the palace instantaneously, he wasn't going to have much time to spend with Loki unless he skipped dinner. He sighed and checked the load one last time to make sure nothing would work its way loose and get damaged. Satisfied that everything was secured properly, Thor and Sven hopped back up on the wagon and headed back towards the palace as quickly as they could manage on the crowded streets. 

Back at the palace, Thor left Sven to manage the wagon while he darted off to see Loki. Volstagg hailed him as he came down the hall.

"Thor! Himself was worried that ye had forgotten tae come back tae say farewell."

"Oh no, Volstagg! The damned shopping took longer than I thought. I'd hoped to get back to see Loki before dinner, but I'd rather miss a meal than miss a chance to tell him goodbye."

"Just hae Himself ring fer a servant and they'll bring ye sommat to eat," Volstagg chuckled.

Thor shrugged nonchalantly. "Perhaps. I'll see how long Loki wants to talk." 

As he entered the room, he heard Loki splashing in the pool. Thor grinned widely, mentally saying goodbye to eating dinner. He waited until the door closed behind him so he could bolt the door for privacy, then sauntered over to the pool. Loki stopped splashing and stared up at him with wide green eyes.

"Thor! I wasss ssso worried you wouldn't come tonight. I'm ssso glad you're here," Loki exclaimed, wiggling his body happily.

"Shall I come in with you?" Thor asked, already loosening his belt. 

"Of courssse!" hissed Loki, beckoning him in with a wave of his tail.

Thor shucked off his clothes and boots and put them in a safe place so they wouldn't get wet, then slid into the pool with Loki. Immediately, the lindworm was on him, wrapping him up in coils of ebony and emerald. After a gentle squeeze, Loki released him and patted the stone seat next to him.

"How wasss the ssshopping?" the prince asked as Thor leaned into his side

"Ugh, so dreadful. I hate having to haggle for everything, but if I don't, the shopkeepers try to take advantage," growled Thor.

"That doesssn't sssound enjoyable at all," Loki observed, gently running his claws through Thor's hair. 

"And the worst part is, it wasted so much time that I could have spent with you," Thor grumbled, sliding his hands over Loki's scales. As the prince hissed softly in pleasure, Thor's stomach growled loudly, startling them both.

"Sssurely you ate sssomething while you were out," chided Loki, butting Thor's stomach with his snout.

"I was too busy at first, and then when I realized how late it was, I came straight here. I didn't want to break my promise to you. Don't worry, missing a meal won't hurt me," insisted Thor, hands drifting down to tease at the lip of Loki's slit.

The prince moaned at his touch, the tip of his tail sliding between Thor's legs to tease at his cock. Thor shivered at the feeling of Loki's smooth scales gliding against his sensitive skin, and he pressed in on Loki's belly just below his slit. The prince's cocks responded quickly to his touch, emerging hard and ready from their hidden sheath. Thor took the nearest one in his hand and slowly stroked it, making Loki's coils tremble in anticipation. 

"Won't you be too sssore if we mate again ssso sssoon?" Loki asked worriedly.

Thor shrugged. "Maybe, but I want to have this one last time with you before I go home"

"What ssshall we do then?" mused Loki, curious as always.

Thor looked around the edge of the pool. He spotted the jug of oil frim the day before lying nearby and hoisted himself up high enough to reach over and grab it. Behind him, he heard Loki give an interested hiss, and he looked back over his shoulder to see Loki ogling the curves of his arse. The prince arrowed through the water and stood up behind him, corralling him against the side of the pool. 

"Can I have you like thissss?" Loki asked, stroking his claws along the line of Thor's spine, careful not to leave any scratches. 

Thor gasped and arched his back into the caress, his cock hardening quickly at the thought of Loki taking him and claiming him. "Yes," he said breathlessly. "Just give me a minute." He sat on the edge of the pool and poured oil on his fingers, spreading his thighs wide before Loki's hungry gaze. The lindworm growled softly as he watched Thor open himself up with his fingers, forked tongue lapping hungrily at his lover's cock while he waited. 

Once he was ready, Thor slid back into the pool and turned his back to Loki, offering himself to the prince. 

"Here," Loki hissed. "Move over and ssstand on the ssseat. I think it will be eassssier that way." He took Thor by the waist and lifted him bodily into place on the stone seat they had just been sitting on. Thor was stunned at the strength in Loki's delicate looking arms, not expecting the prince to have been able to lift him, even underwater.

"Now," Loki growled in his ear. "Ssshall we?" He quickly slicked up both of his cocks and pressed close, an almost ominous wall of scale and muscle. Thor reached back and gripped the nearest cock, guiding it into him slowly. They both groaned as Loki sank in deep, pulling Thor's hips back flush against him. He eased back, admiring the sight of Thor stretched around him.

"Yesss… I like thisss way very much, Thor. Doesss it pleassse you?" Loki panted, nuzzling at Thor's hair.

Thor pushed back, sheathing the prince inside him once more. "Oh gods, yes, Loki. _Please…"_

Loki gripped Thor's hip with one clawed hand and the lip of the pool with the other, bracing his coils against the opposite edge of the pool. He had much better leverage in this position than when he was lying on his back, and he took full advantage of it, thrusting fiercely into Thor until he was sobbing with pleasure 

"Oh Loki, that's so good," Thor whimpered, giving control over to the prince and letting him take whatever he wanted. He was going to be so, so sorry on the long ride home tomorrow, but for now, he was going to enjoy every sensation that Loki could wring from him. He shuddered as he felt Loki come hard inside of him, the lindworm trembling from snout to tail with the force of his orgasm. 

The prince relaxed his grip on Thor, breathing heavily as if he had just run a race. "Ssshall I have you again, or do you wisssh for sssomething elssse?" 

"Whatever pleases you, my love," Thor gasped, legs shaking from Loki's passionate lovemaking. 

Loki turned him around gently and lifted his chin with a clawed finger. "What did you call me jussst now, Thor? Am I truly your love?"

Tears leaked unbidden from Thor's eyes. "Yes, Loki, I meant it. I love you, and I want to be with you always."

Loki's forked tongue flicked out and licked his tears away. "Sssoon love, you ssshall be all mine. Here, let me pleasssure you a bit before I have you again." The lindworm lifted Thor up to the edge of the pool and gently pressed him down on his back against the stone, nudging his lover's thighs apart with his snout. Thor bit his fist savagely to keep from crying out as Loki's agile tongue began licking and teasing at his hole, flicking the sensitive skin until Thor begged him for more. Loki responded by slipping his tongue inside and _licking_ until Thor gave a startled cry and came untouched on his belly and chest. Loki gave a delighted hiss and lapped at Thor's skin, cleaning off the pearly streaks of come while Thor giggled weakly at the tickling sensation. 

When Loki was finally satisfied, he shifted his position until his other cock was pressing against Thor's loosened entrance. "Ssshall we try it like thisss, Thor? I ssshould like to sssee your face thisss time when we mate."

Thor smiled and opened his legs wider, attempting to wrap them around Loki's thick body. He looked boldly into the prince's eyes saying, "Do it, my prince, my love. _Take me_."

The lindworm gave a feral growl at those words and thrust hard into Thor's body, making him yelp in surprise. His clawed hands gripped Thor's hips tightly as he fucked him roughly, water sloshing over the edge of the pool. Held in place like a rag doll, Thor groaned desperately as the head of Loki's cock rubbed him repeatedly in just the right spot, making his own spent cock rise back up to eager attention. Thor's hand slid down to stroke himself as Loki continued to pound into him, making him feel almost small and delicate compared to the lindworm's raw animal strength, and before he knew it, he was on the brink of orgasm again. 

Apparently Loki was as well, because Thor could feel the telltale trembling in his coils that usually preceded the lindworm's climax. He gripped Loki tightly with his heels, pulling him in as deeply as he could. "Come for me, Loki. Fill me up with your seed," he begged. The lindworm shuddered and tensed as his orgasm overtook him, his cock pulsing hotly inside of Thor. Feeling the sensation of Loki's climax inside of him was enough to send Thor over the edge too, his body shaking uncontrollably with the force of his release.

They both lay there panting for a minute, Loki resting on his elbows to keep from squashing Thor and idly licking at Thor's sticky chest every so often. Eventually, Thor groaned and started to sit up, muscles all over his body protesting his movements. Loki hoisted him up again and pulled him gently into the pool so the hot water could finish cleansing his skin. Thor winced at the soreness between his legs, knowing that he was going to have a very unpleasant ride ahead of him in the morning, but not regretting it in the slightest. He just hoped he could hide the scratches on his hips from his father and his men on their journey home until they were healed.

"Are you all right, Thor?" Loki asked nervously, looking at the angry red scrapes littering Thor's skin. "I ssshould have been lessss…"

Thor put his hand over Loki's snout, giving it a fond shake. "I'm fine, Loki. I'm not sorry for anything we've done, and you shouldn't be either. You've given me very good memories to keep me going until the next time I see you." He laid his forehead against Loki's affectionately, scratching all the spots he knew were Loki's favorites, especially around his horns, and the prince wiggled happily, enjoying the extra attention. 

Thor's toes and fingers were thoroughly wrinkled by the time they were done snuggling in the pool, which Loki found quite amusing once Thor assured him it was only temporary. Over at the fireplace, Thor pulled his clothes on slowly, not wanting their time together to end so soon. Loki sat coiled in an unhappy heap until Thor was dressed, then he flowed over and wrapped himself around Thor, whimpering in distress. 

"Oh Loki," sighed Thor. "I don't want to leave you, really I don't, but I don't dare be late to leave in the morning. My father would be very suspicious."

"I know that you mussst go now, but it hurtsss, Thor," Loki said sadly, his head drooping.

Thor covered his snout with soft kisses. "It hurts me too, beloved. I'll come back to you as soon as I can, and we'll be together then. I promise I won't abandon you, Loki."

The lindworm reluctantly unwound his coils, and Thor stood up dejectedly, still feeling the ache in his arse and thighs but hiding it from Loki as best he could. He walked towards the door with Loki trailing disconsolately after him. Before he slid back the bolt, he opened his arms and Loki practically flew into them, snuffling his scent one last time before he fled to his den, the sound of his desolate whimpers ringing in Thor's head. 

"Goodbye, my love," he called after him, struggling not to cry. He stood there for a few minutes until he felt more composed, then unbolted the door and strode outside, giving Volstagg a falsely hearty farewell as he walked away with his heart breaking.


	15. My Brother's Keeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Balder learns the truth about Odin's illness and finds himself a wife. Thor is happy for his little brother, but yearns for Loki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some sad stuff and some schmoopy wedding stuff!

Thor let out a sigh of relief as they finally turned the horses onto the beaten dirt road that led to the farm. Odin's health had remained fairly stable on the way home from Utgard, but the healer's words kept bubbling up in his mind. _I'll need to tell Balder so he isn't caught unaware when Father…_ He shook his head, distraught. _And then there's Loki. I_ **_promised_ ** _him I'd come stay at the palace when Father died, but Balder is still so young. I hate to burden him with all of this responsibility. I wonder if he'd mind if I brought Loki home to the farm for a while? Would Loki even_ **_want_ ** _to come here?_ He smiled faintly, trying to picture Loki helping him with the farm chores. 

As they dismounted, Odin began to cough hard, and this time, he wasn't fast enough to hide the flecks of blood on his handkerchief from Thor. Their eyes met, and for a long moment, neither one of them said a word. One of the draft horses broke the ominous silence with a shrill whinny, demanding to be unharnessed from the wagon so he could have some oats. Thor dropped his eyes, not sure what he should say or do, fearing his father might lash out if he offered help or sympathy; instead, Odin put his hand on Thor's shoulder briefly to steady himself.

"Can you see to the men and horses, son? I think I need to go lay down." Thor nodded mutely, and Odin walked slowly towards the house, the chill wind plucking at his cloak like hands reaching up from a grave. 

Thor turned back towards the men who had accompanied them to Utgard. All of them were looking at him sorrowfully, knowing that Odin was very ill; however, only Thor truly knew how little time his father had left, according to the healers. He cleared his throat and started issuing orders to get the wagons back in their proper places and the horses rubbed down and fed. He took his own mount into his stall and brushed him out, using the repetitive brush strokes to calm his mind. His horse butted his chest with his long nose, reminding Thor of Loki's favorite affectionate gesture and making him smile faintly. Once he had finished with the brush and comb, he filled the feed trough with oats and hay and made sure there was plenty of clean water for his horse to drink before he left the barn.

The same chill wind was still skirling around the yard, lifting leaves in great eddies and tugging at Thor's hair and beard. He glanced up the hill at Frigga's grave, deciding to visit her quickly before it got too dark. As he reached the summit, the hilltop looked barren and forlorn, all the beautiful flowers slumbering now under the cold earth and damp leaves. He knelt down beside his mother's grave, his heart like a lump of lead in his chest.

"Well, Mother, I guess Father will be reunited with you before too long. Though he and I have had our differences recently, I honestly wish it weren't true. Balder is still so young, too young to run the farm long term, really, but I've also made a promise to Loki that I need to keep. He's had so little of love and kindness in his life that I don't want to let him down." He got slowly to his feet and brushed off the dirt and leaves clinging to his trousers. " We'll have to see what fortune brings us, I guess. I miss you, Mama." He walked slowly down the hill, past and future sorrows laying heavily on his shoulders.

******************************

Odin's health declined steadily over the winter, the shorter days leading to even shorter tempers between the three of them. Thor did his best, dosing him with Eir's tonics, but, as the healer had warned, they didn't cure his illness, only dulled his pain for a short while. He even dared to experiment with a few recipes from Frigga's books, but they were equally ineffective against whatever was consuming Odin from within. Thor had already broken the news to Balder, trying to gently prepare him for the inevitable, but as Odin's condition worsened, Balder became sullen and withdrawn, no longer interacting with their men or even the animals that he loved. Thor understood his pain; after all, he'd suffered the same way when Frigga was dying. He tried his best to keep his brother's spirits up, but his efforts were met mostly with indifference or, occasionally, anger. 

One day, Thor was working with a small group of men rigging up an emergency shelter for some of the pigs to temporarily replace one that had partially collapsed under the weight of the recent snowfall. Somehow, the topic turned to Balder's increasing isolation, and they spared no time telling Thor exactly what they thought his brother needed.

"He needs to find himself a sweet young maid who'll open up her legs for him," suggested Einar, wagging his finger at Thor. 

"Or her mouth," added Sven with a lewd chuckle. 

Thor just looked at the men flatly, and their vulgar comments withered under the weight of his stare."I'll deal with my brother's behavior as I see fit. Your job right now is to fix this shelter for the pigs so they won't die from the cold tonight. Isn't that right?"

Embarrassed, the men bent to their work, leaving Thor to ponder if perhaps a wife might be just the thing to bring Balder a bit of happiness in these unhappy times.

*************************

Midwinter's Day dawned bright and clear, the weak winter sunlight making the day seem warmer and more cheerful than usual. Thor had set up a comfortable seat for Odin near the bonfire and the men were heartened to see him there, nodding his head and making small talk. Thor stood by his chair in case Odin needed him, while Balder grudgingly mingled with the men and their families. As the day wore on, Thor noticed that his brother was spending quite a bit of time with one family in particular. Craning his neck, he was just able to catch a glimpse of who his brother was talking to- a pretty girl with masses of curly golden hair.

"Father," Thor said quietly. "Who is Balder talking to? I don't think I know her."

Odin peered in the direction Thor was pointing, trying to spot the mystery maiden. "Ah, that's Nanna Nepsdottir. Her family moved into the area just before the tithing. Her older brother is a skilled carpenter, and her mother knows quite a bit about beekeeping. She's been working at the hives with old Haakon, and Nanna makes excellent candles out of the beeswax her mother brings home."

"Hmmmm," Thor mused as he glanced at her again, trying to decide if she would be a good match for Balder.

Odin immediately mistook Thor's interest in the young woman. "She'd make you a good wife, son. Good hips, pretty face..."

Thor laughed bitterly. "No. No she wouldn't. Nothing's changed, Father. You've known full well where my interests lie ever since that day in the barn. Stop deluding yourself."

"You know you can't be my heir unless you intend to marry and have children," Odin growled.

"I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen, Father. The farm can go to Balder and I'll go to Utgard. Prince Loki has requested that I join his retinue and serve as a guard. It's an honorable duty, and it suits me better than chaining myself to a woman I could never truly love."

"So you'd chain yourself to a monster then?" his father said with a sneer.

"Why not? Plenty of women do," Thor snapped back.

Odin slumped back in his chair, stunned at Thor's harsh words. "Son, I…"

Thor cut him off. "Let's not do this now, Father. We don't need the men to see us at odds at Midwinter, or they'll think it's a bad omen. I'll bring you something to eat and drink, then I'll go visit with the men to see how they're faring so far this winter."

After Thor had made the rounds, he was leaning against a wall with a tankard of mead and brooding when a frightened looking older woman approached him, wringing her hands.

"Forgive me for disturbing you, Master. My daughter has gone missing and I was hoping you might help me find her," the woman stammered, too shy to meet his eyes.

"What is your daughter's name, Mistress, and where did you see her last?"

"Her name is Nanna. She was talking to your brother a little while ago, and now she's gone." 

Groaning internally, Thor smiled at the woman, hoping to put her at ease. "I'll look around for her, Mistress." He set down his tankard 

"Thank you," she whispered. "Her father is very upset that she's gone missing among all these strange men. He fears for her safety and her..." She gestured at her groin, and Thor blushed when he realized she was talking about her daughter's virginity. 

"I understand," he told her seriously. "If any of my father's men have abused her in any way, rest assured, we will take swift action. Here, I'll take you to sit with my father while I locate her."

Leaving the nervous woman behind with Odin, Thor began scouring the area for the missing girl and his brother. Since the weather was quite chilly, he decided not to visit some of the popular outdoor trysting spots, figuring they would likely want to be somewhere warmer. The barn was cold, dark, and empty, so he decided to check the main house next. When he walked in the front door, there were candles burning on the table that weren't there earlier, and Thor raised an eyebrow at his brother's daring. _I hope he hasn't already deflowered her_ , he thought grimly. _Although Father might not care if it gets him the grandchild he wants so badly, I think her parents would be very unhappy with Balder._

As he walked quietly down the hall, he could hear the murmur of voices coming from Balder's bedroom. The door was slightly ajar, and candlelight flickered feebly through the crack, making shadows dance on the walls and ceiling. Thor paused outside his brother's room, trying to figure out what was going on inside before he made his presence known. It sounded like one of them was upset, maybe even crying, and the other person was trying to soothe them. Thor rubbed at his temples, feeling a headache start to pound behind his tired blue eyes. This kind of problem was usually not what he was good at solving; he was better at fixing things that needed a simple application of brute force. He had promised Nanna's mother his help, however, and he felt obligated to talk to Balder as well about the developing situation. Taking a deep breath, Thor gently pushed the door open. 

Nanna was sitting against the headboard fully clothed, with Balder's head in her lap, stroking his shoulders as he wept. Her own wet eyes met Thor's, and he saw love and concern there for his brother coupled with trepidation. A young unmarried woman, especially a virgin, would face great shame and ostracism if she were found in bed with a man; even though she and Balder were both completely dressed, Nanna realized that Thor could easily ruin her reputation with a few choice words. She opened her mouth to speak, but Thor stopped her by putting his finger to his lips. He walked over quietly and sat down on the bed, the edge of the mattress sinking deep under his heavier weight. Balder raised his head and recoiled at the sight of his brother. 

"I swear we haven't done anything, Thor! I was just so upset about Father , I …" Balder babbled frantically, pushing himself up out of Nanna's lap.

"Peace, brother," Thor said soothingly, patting Balder's shoulder. "I can see that the two of you haven't been up to any mischief, but Nanna's mother is looking for her. I think it best that you take her back to her parents for the time being. Or maybe I should, given how you look right now." He pulled out his handkerchief and passed it to his brother, who accepted it gratefully and wiped his face. 

"Thor, can I ask you something?" 

"Of course, Balder. What is it?"

"Since Father doesn't have much time left, do you think he would allow Nanna and me to get married soon? I know we're young, but she's the woman I want to spend my life with, I know it." He looked at Thor with beseeching eyes.

Thor grinned and tousled Balder's hair, making his brother growl and slap his hand away. "Father would be _delighted_ if the two of you got married; I'd imagine it's Nanna's parents that you'll need to convince."

Nanna rolled her eyes. "My mother would absolutely swoon if someone came and took me off her hands. My father would be a bit more cautious because of my dowry, but I don't think he'd really object, to be honest."

Thor laughed outright at her show of spirit. Balder would be a lucky man if her parents agreed to allow them to wed, and Thor would do his best to make sure that happened. He stood up and offered his hand to Nanna. "I'll escort you back to your parents, then go talk to my father about marriage. Balder, you'd best wash your face before you come back out." They both rolled their eyes at his parental tone, and he shook his head. "Gods, you two lunatics deserve each other. Come on, let's go before her parents come looking." 

Nanna took his hand gratefully, blowing Balder a kiss as they left the room. As they walked down the hall, she looked up at him with a serious expression. "Tell me, do you think your father will truly allow us to marry, or were you just trying to protect my reputation- and your brother?"

Thor sensed her nervousness and uncertainty. "My father wants grandchildren and he knows I'm not likely to provide them. I imagine he'll accept you readily, knowing that you already have a useful trade, much like our mother did. I'm sure that his consent won't be an issue; in fact, I'll talk to him as soon as I see you back to your parents. "

Nanna smiled up at him. "Thank you, Thor. You're very kind, truly. I don't know why you don't think you couldn't find a good woman to marry and bear your children."

Thor bit his lip, not sure how much he should reveal about his preferences to this near stranger, charming though she was. "Let's just say it's unlikely and leave it at that."

"Ohhh," she said, eyes widening as she finally grasped his meaning.

Thor looked at her sharply. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't share that around though."

"Oh no, of course not," she promised earnestly, patting his arm. "Er, does Balder know?"

"Yes, and my father as well," admitted Thor. "Though he keeps holding out hope that I'll somehow change my mind."

"Well, you're as the Gods made you, so I'm not likely to make a fuss about it. I hope you find someone who makes you happy someday," she said kindly.

Thor smiled bashfully and ducked his head, but not before Nanna noticed.

"Thor Odinson! What is that blush for? Do you have a beau somewhere? Who is he?" she pressed teasingly. 

"I… can't talk about it right now. My father would be furious," Thor mumbled, staring at the floor.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have pried like that. It's really none of my business," Nanna apologized. "I hope I haven't offended you."

"No worries, little sister. Someday, I'll tell you all about him," Thor replied with a saucy wink.

Nanna shook her head sadly. "Too bad you won't be able to marry him, whoever he is."

"That's all right. I'll just bask in the glory of your marriage to my brother," Thor snickered, earning him a swift elbow in the ribs. "Ow! You'll be a perfect match for Balder with an elbow like that!"

"It's only to be expected, Thor. I do have an elder brother of my own," she replied with wicked merriment dancing in her eyes.

Thor laughed outright at that, and Nanna joined in as well. He offered her his arm and she took it gladly as they went in search of her parents. 

To no one's surprise, when Balder asked Nanna's parents for her hand in marriage that night, they agreed wholeheartedly. Odin gave the young couple his blessing, and the date was set for two months hence in hopes that Odin would still be there to see it.

****************************************

After Midwinter, Odin's health grew steadily worse, and Thor and Balder were exhausted trying to keep up with the farm chores and Odin's needs, not to mention planning Balder's wedding. Fortunately, Nanna was a very practical young woman and kept things very simple, but it was still one more thing to worry about for the two overburdened brothers. Finally, the fateful day arrived, and Thor found himself tending to one extremely agitated bridegroom. Balder had scrubbed up and soaked in the hot spring, trying to calm his nerves, while Thor, Nanna, and her mother decorated the house. It was too early for real flowers, but Thor had discovered that he could carve Nanna's candles into sweet-smelling flower like designs, and their combined handiwork made it seem like spring in the main room of the house. Some of the village women had swept and scrubbed until every surface in the room gleamed, while others had labored in the kitchen making the wedding feast. Everything was ready at last- except for Balder. He was beside himself with nerves, and Thor practically had to dress him like a child. Balder sat next to him on the bed silently plucking at the sleeves of his best shirt, before he turned to Thor with a desperate look in his eyes.

"Thor…" he bleated, voice cracking. "I don't… I don't know what to do. Tonight, you know… I've never...well...done _that_ with a girl! What if she laughs at me?"

Thor shifted uncomfortably, not really sure what to say to his little brother. His own sexual experiences were _unusual_ , to say the least, so he didn't know how helpful his advice would be. However, he wanted to reassure Balder, so he cleared his throat and said the first thing he could think of.

"Well, I don't think she's been out practicing behind your back, brother, so chances are, she's as nervous as you about the whole thing. Just take it slowly and ask her if she likes what you're doing. I think Nanna will let you know how she feels, and you can go from there. I don't think she's the sort to laugh at you, though. You've chosen a very good woman to be your wife, and I think Mother would be very happy for you if she were here."

Balder blinked his watery blue eyes and smiled weakly at Thor. "Thank you, brother. I… Ow!!" he hollered as Thor punched him in the shoulder.

"It's time, brother! Let's go make you a married man," laughed Thor, dragging Balder off of the bed and towards the door. Balder growled and punched him back in the ribs. By the time they reached the end of the hall, they were both grinning, Balder's nervousness pushed back by Thor's antics. He whistled as he saw the decorations for the first time.

"This is really beautiful, Thor! Did _you_ carve the candles like that? You could sell a wagon load of those at the market." Balder said enthusiastically.

"Umm, yes it is, yes I did, and yes we could. Nanna and I already discussed that possibility when I first figured out how to carve her candles without breaking them. I might even try taking some to Utgard next time I go. Now hush, here comes your bride."

Nanna entered the room, her golden hair braided around her head like a crown, and Balder gasped when he recognized the beautifully embroidered dress she was wearing. "Thor… isn't that Mother's wedding dress? I remember seeing it a long time ago in her trunk of special things."

"Yes, Father and I decided to gift it to her for your wedding. She looks very lovely in it. I think Mother would approve, don't you?"

"Thank you, brother," Balder whispered, tears glistening in his eyes. "This means so much to me."

Thor gave him a big hug and just barely resisted the urge to ruffle his brother's carefully combed hair. "Go on now, he said, giving Balder a gentle push. "Your bride is waiting for you."

Balder crossed the room and took Nanna's hands in his, both of their faces glowing with joy as the local priest spoke the simple formula that united them in marriage. As the priest finished speaking, Nanna blushed as Balder kissed her gently for the first time as her husband, making the older guests sigh and reminisce fondly about young love. Thor smiled at them from the sidelines, happy for his brother, of course, but wishing he could share something similar with Loki someday. His heart twinged sadly, however, knowing that it would be next to impossible for them to ever wed, even though Loki was a prince for whom, theoretically, almost anything should be possible. 

Odin beamed fondly on the young couple as they came over and knelt in front of his chair for his blessing. "May your lives be long, full of love, and blessed with many children," he intoned in a shaky voice, his gnarled hands resting on their heads.

"Thank you, Father," whispered Balder, tears glistening in his eyes. 

Thor joined them, clapping his brother on the back as the couple stood up. "I agree wholeheartedly with Father. I can't wait to be an uncle soon." 

Nanna and Balder both blushed, and Odin chuckled. "All in good time, Thor. All in good time. The night is still young, though, friends. Let the wedding feast begin, and then after that, dancing!"

The guests cheered and went outside to where tables had been set up inside of a tent heated by numerous braziers. The bridal couple took the seats of honor at the head table with their families, and the villagers and workers filled the rest of the seats. There was much food, ale, and wine served, and everyone had a delightful evening. Thor did his best to be hearty and enjoy himself, but he soon found himself craving peace and quiet. He walked out into the chilly night and climbed the hill to Frigga's gravesite. He wrapped his cloak around himself and sat down, leaning against the trunk of the leafless oak tree and staring up at the stars. "Well, Mother, your baby boy is now a man grown and wedded, while I can't even…" He dropped his head to his knees, trying to contain his emotions. "Oh Mama," he sighed. "I wish there was a way for Loki and me to be married someday. I don't know if you'd approve of what we've been doing together, but I love him so much. I can't stand not being able to be with him every day. It's just not fair, Mama," he whispered, silver tears sliding down his cheeks.

Footsteps crunched in the frosted grass, and Thor wiped his cheeks hastily. Balder sat down next to him, breath steaming in the cold air. They both sat in silence for several minutes, gazing up at the stars. Finally, Balder broke the silence.

"I thought you might have come up here. It's so quiet and peaceful."

"I'm fine, brother. You should be down there with Nanna, don't you think?" Thor countered.

Balder chuckled. "Thor, she _sent_ me, you oaf. She was worried about you being alone right now."

"What? Why? Nothing's wrong, Balder," Thor insisted, wishing his little brother would let him be before he broke down entirely. 

"And that's why you're out here in the cold, crying and talking to Mother?" Balder said knowingly. 

"I wasn't… I just… It's nothing you can help me with anyway, so I'm not going to burden you with my problems, especially on your wedding night."

Balder frowned, thinking he knew at least part of the problem. "Thor, is it about you wanting men instead of women? I know all about that, remember? I saw how Father treated you that day in the stable, and I didn't understand why at first because I was too young. But, brother, I love you dearly, and it doesn't matter to me or to Nanna if you love a man, a woman, or a two-headed goat. When Father passes, bring him here, Thor, and he'll be welcome."

"It's not that simple, brother. Gods, I wish it was," he groaned, imagining the horrified look on his brother's face when he discovered Thor's lover was the lindworm prince. 

"Bring. Him. Here. Just do it, Thor," Balder repeated, putting his arm around his brother's shoulders and pulling him into a tight embrace, and Thor broke down, sobbing in Balder's arms. His brother held him until his weeping abated, patting his back soothingly.

"Feel better?" Balder asked gently when Thor finally pulled away to wipe his face dry on his cloak.

"Yes, but… do you mind if I don't go back to the feast? I'm just not up to it right now."

"I understand, Thor. I'll tell Father you got sick from drinking so he won't bother you about it"

"Thank you, Balder. Give Nanna my best wishes."

"Of course. Someday maybe we can give you and your… would you both be husbands? Anyway, you know what I mean, right? Best wishes for you and the one you love."

"I'm sure Loki would…" Thor trailed off, horrified that he had let his secret slip in front of Balder. 

"Wait… Loki? _Prince_ Loki? The one who's a _giant snake_ Loki? Thor, are you serious?" Balder was staring at him, but it was difficult to read his expression in the dark.

"Well, actually, yes, I am. Serious, that is. It's hard to explain, Balder, but I do love him. He's not a dumb beast like Father says. He's very kind, funny, intelligent, and loving, even though he's basically been alone for most of his life, except for his mother and a few servants. He and I have been good friends for a long time until it became… something else." Thor sighed, hoping he could make his brother understand his feelings for Loki. "I wasn't expecting to fall in love with him, but I did, and I'm not sorry. I understand if you and Nanna wouldn't be comfortable having him live here, so I'll probably stay with him in Utgard."

"Wait, slow down, Thor! I never said Loki wasn't welcome here; in fact, I'd really like to meet him. He always sounded so interesting when you talked about him with Mother. It's surprising, to be sure, but if you love him, you love him. You're my brother and I won't turn against you," promised Balder.

"But what will the men think? We can't run the farm alone if they all decide to leave because they think I'm a filthy degenerate," muttered Thor.

Balder stood up and dusted off his pants. "Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. In the meantime, don't worry about it. When the time comes, Nanna and I will stand by you, brother."

"Thank you," Thor whispered, trying hard not to cry again.

Balder laid his hand gently on Thor's shoulder in sympathy before heading back down to his wedding party. Thor waited a few more minutes before trudging down the hill and sneaking past the wedding tent, slipping through the back door of their house to avoid his father. He made it to his room unchallenged and threw himself on the bed fully dressed, too drained to bother taking anything off except his boots. He lay there for several minutes staring at the ceiling, imagining what getting married to Loki would look like. _Who would come if we could get married_ ? Thor mused. _Eirik and Volstagg, certainly. Hilda, possibly. Queen Laufey, most likely. The King and Loki's brother, I sincerely doubt it. Balder and Nanna, of course, if they could leave the farm. It wouldn't be a big ceremony, but it would be the best day of my life._ The air in his room was quickly getting chilly, so Thor burrowed under his blankets and furs still dressed, wishing he was in Loki's chamber snuggled up in front of the roaring fireplace with the prince. _I wonder if Balder would mind if Loki and I took Father's room, since it has a fireplace. Otherwise he might get sick from the cold. Hmmm, maybe we'd only spend spring and summer here and go back to Utgard at the tithing and stay through the winter._ Thor fell asleep, dreaming that, somehow, he and Loki were married and were able to go to bed every night wrapped in each other's arms.


	16. Passages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dark secrets are revealed before Thor leaves for Utgard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mention of gangrape, mention of suicide, realistic description of natural death of an elderly person.
> 
> Sorry, this chapter got a bit darker than I expected. I understand if you want to skip over it, especially with all that's going on right now, though it does somewhat explain Odin's issues with Thor's sexuality. The next chapter will take you straight to Thor and Loki if you choose not to read this one.

Barely a month had passed when Nanna began to get sick in the morning. Balder walked around with a foolish grin on his face that was mirrored on Odin's weathered face. Thor rolled his eyes at them both and made sure that she was comfortable and tried to find whatever she craved to keep her in good spirits. Things were going well until one morning, just before sunrise, Thor was jarred out of a particularly tender dream about Loki by a furtive rapping on his door. 

"What? Who is it? Who's there?" he growled.

"It's me, Nanna. Something has happened to your father."

"Shit. Hold on, let me get dressed." He grabbed yesterday's clothes and pulled them on quickly. He opened the door to Nanna's pale, tear streaked face. He immediately gave her a hug, making sure not to jar the candle she was holding. "Tell me what you know, sister. "

She gulped and wiped at her face before replying. "I got up because I was hungry and I noticed that your father's door was open. That seemed odd, so I checked and he wasn't in bed. I decided to see if he was anywhere else in the house, and he's gone, Thor. The front door was wide open, and I know we never leave it like that, so I came back to wake you and Balder up. He's getting dressed, and then we'll go look for him, right?"

Thor hugged her again. "Of course, Nanna. We'll find him, don't you worry. I'm sure he didn't go too far."

Balder came out of their room, dressed and ready to search. "Let's go, Thor. I hope he didn't fall and hurt himself, the stubborn old goat."

The two brothers went out to the main room, put on their boots, and grabbed the lanterns that hung by the door. Nanna handed them some fresh candles for the lanterns, lighting them from the one she carried.

Balder kissed her forehead gently. "Why don't you stay here and make some hot drinks? If Father has been outside for a while, he might appreciate having something to warm him up."

"All right," she said, kissing his cheek. "I hope you find him quickly."

"Me too," Balder replied as he gave her a quick hug. "All right, brother, let's go find him."

They donned their cloaks and stepped outside, shivering slightly in the cool air. A quick glance around them revealed a set of footprints in the dirt heading away from the house. The brothers looked at each other, then followed the trail until they came to the hill where Frigga was buried. 

"I don't like this, Thor," muttered Balder, glancing around him nervously. A cool mist was flowing around them, changing familiar trees and bushes into ghostly shapes that seemed to move in the dim light.

"I know, but if he's up there, we need to get him down and back into the house," sighed Thor, hoping that, if Odin was indeed at the top of the hill, he was still alive. He was not in the mood to deal with a dead body that had been exposed to scavengers and the elements for who knows how many hours.

Moving carefully, they climbed to the summit of the hill. As they suspected, Odin was there, stretched out face down on Frigga's grave wearing just his nightshirt. Thor knelt beside him and touched his shoulder gently, feeling a faint warmth under his hand that reassured Thor that his father wasn't dead yet. He shook his father's shoulder and called out to him.

"Father, can you hear me? Balder and I are going to help you back inside." Without waiting for an answer, he rolled Odin onto his back and picked him up carefully, cradling his father's frail body in his arms. Balder took both lanterns and guided him down the hill and back to the house. 

Once inside, Thor took Odin to his bedroom and Balder built up the fire. Thor set Odin gently in his bed and covered him with blankets. As he slowly warmed up, Odin's eyes fluttered open.

"Frigga?" he asked plaintively. 

"No, Father, it's me and Balder," Thor answered, patting his shaking hand. "Would you like something hot to drink?"

Nanna entered just as Odin started to shake his head. "Father, I've brought you some mulled wine. It will help you feel better if you drink it."

"I doubt that, my dear," the old man rasped, the phlegm in his chest gurgling ominously. 

"Well, it would make  _ me  _ feel better if you drank some, how about that?" said Nanna, laying her hand on Odin's forehead and shaking her head at the feverish heat of his skin.

"Oh, very well, I'll have a bit." He let Thor raise him up so he could drink from the mug she held. He took a few shallow sips and turned his head away. "No more, daughter. It won't cure what ails me. Only the grave can do that."

Nanna stared at him in horror for a moment, then ran from the room sobbing. Enraged, Balder glared at Odin before rushing after his distraught wife. Thor shook his head in disgust as he laid his father back down on the pillows.

"You really had to say that to a breeding woman? What if she miscarries from the shock, hmmm? What of your precious grandchild then?" Thor snarled, furious at his father's cruelty.

Odin's face crumpled like a scolded child's. "I meant no harm by speaking the truth. I'll only be well again when I'm with your mother. She spoke to me tonight, you know," confided Odin, his withered face turning towards Thor. "She told me all about your plans with the prince. Do you really intend to leave your brother and Nanna here alone while you traipse off to Utgard? Have you no loyalty to our family?"

"Actually, Father, I intend to bring Loki here once I swear fealty for our lands. Balder already knows about him, and he doesn't care that he's..."

"An accursed monster? Thor, I don't understand where I failed you. Any of the village girls would have made you a good wife and borne you children, but instead, you choose to shackle yourself to…"

"Enough, Father!" Thor growled. "If these are going to be some of our last words, let's not make them angry ones. I give you my word that Loki and I will help Balder and Nanna with the farm, and their children will be your heirs. That much I will swear to you. Will that content you, Father?"

Odin gave a gusty, rattling sigh. "My boy," he said forlornly. "My firstborn son. I had such dreams for you, you know."

"I know, Father, but your dreams aren't my reality. I won't apologize for my feelings for Loki, or the feelings I had for Fandral before he died. It's part of who I am, and it's not going to change. I won't make you any deathbed promises that I have no intentions of keeping just to soothe you."

"Frigga was right as usual," Odin chuckled rustily. "You're every bit as stubborn as me, boy. Well, you'll need every ounce of that pigheadedness to play the hand you've dealt for yourself. I don't envy you."

Thor bit his lip, not sure how to respond. His father didn't seem to be angry about his revelation, more resigned than anything. He put out his hand tentatively, surprised when Odin slowly laid his gnarled fingers on top. Thor flinched at the chilly touch, but Odin didn't seem to notice, his eyes bright and unfocused.

"Father? I'm going to check on Nanna, but I'll be back soon."

"Oh yes, that's fine, take your time. I'm not going anywhere soon," Odin wheezed. "Except next to your mother, that is."

Thor shook his head at his father's grim attempt at humor. "Do you want anything?"

Odin shifted on his pillows, trying to get comfortable. "No, I'm fine. I think I'll rest a bit." 

On impulse, Thor leaned over and kissed his father's forehead. Odin smiled slightly and closed his eyes. Thor stood up quietly and left the room, hoping to find Nanna and Balder. He went to their door, but the muffled sounds he heard sounded like they wouldn't welcome an interruption just then.  _ Well, that's one way to take her mind off of things _ , Thor snickered to himself as he turned around and headed for the kitchen instead. 

Nanna had left a loaf of bread out on the counter, so Thor tore off a chunk and chewed on it thoughtfully as he pondered his next steps. 

First: attend to his father's passing. 

Second: go swear fealty to the king and queen so they could keep the farm in the family. 

Third: Loki. 

Thor felt guilty for telling Odin that he was bringing the prince to the farm when he had no idea if Loki would want to leave Utgard or not. Hopefully he could convince Loki to give the farm a try, and perhaps the prince would learn to love the land the way Thor did. He leaned against the counter, imagining himself and Loki splashing around in his favorite forest pool, climbing the hills side by side, maybe even hunting small game together.

A concerned voice finally penetrated his consciousness. "Thor? Thor? Hello? Are you okay, brother?"

Thor blinked stupidly at Balder, realizing that he had been lost in daydreams about Loki for several minutes. He stared at his half dressed brother for a moment and then started laughing. Balder's hair was mussed and he was sporting a large red mark on his shoulder and what appeared to be teeth marks as well.

"Am I to assume that Nanna's feeling better now?" Thor cackled, easily catching the ladle Balder threw at him.

Balder blushed furiously. "She's resting quietly for the moment. I thought I'd bring her a snack."

"Looks like you were almost the snack, brother," Thor replied, glancing pointedly at Balder's shoulder. 

"Thooor, stop it," his brother whined. "You don't understand. Pregnant women are dangerous!"

Thor rolled his eyes, but decided to take pity on his poor, beleaguered brother. "Did she tell you what she wanted, or are you supposed to guess?"

"Ummm, maybe some porridge, bread with jam-if we have any, raspberry leaf tea. Nothing fried, she said."

Thor grinned and took out the cauldron they used for porridge, filling it with water from the pump while Balder built up the fire. He added the oats to the kettle, hung it on the hook, and swung it over the fire to cook. 

From the pantry, Balder exclaimed triumphantly, holding up a jar of apple butter as he came out and shut the door. "This is Nanna's favorite! I'm saved!"

"Why don't we get the tea made and you can take her that and the bread while I cook the porridge? I made extra in case Father wants any."

"Good idea," agreed Balder. He found the teakettle and filled it, putting it down in the coals to heat up. He found the tin of dried raspberry leaves and spooned some into a mug.

"Do you think she would like some dried apples in her porridge? I remember that Mother used to make it that way for Father, with a little bit of honey and walnuts too."

"I'll go ask her"

While Balder was away, Thor cracked some eggs into a bowl and stirred in some mushrooms, herbs, and a tiny bit of their precious salt. Grabbing a cast iron skillet off its hook, he greased it with some bacon fat and set it on the grate. By then, the tea water was ready, so he poured water over the leaves and let them steep. 

Balder came in and inspected Thor's efforts. "She said yes to the apples and honey, but no to walnuts. Who gets the eggs?" he asked nonchalantly, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.

"Well, you can have this batch so you'll have strength to deal with your hungry wife. I'll make more for myself in a minute." He poured the eggs in the hot skillet, then went to the pantry for the dried apples and honey. The apples went in with the porridge to soften, and the honey was set aside to add to the top. Thor grabbed a few walnuts for Odin's porridge, knowing they were one of his father's favorites.

"I think the tea is ready," said Balder. He strained out the leaves and added a little honey to the hot brew; meanwhile, Thor sliced some bread onto a plate for him and slathered it with apple butter. "You're a lifesaver, Thor. Could you bring the porridge in when it's ready?"

"Of course. Go on, before she gobbles you up," Thor laughed, shooing his brother out of the kitchen. He stirred the eggs and the porridge, making sure neither would burn while he wolfed down another piece of bread. Finally, it was all ready, and he dished the porridge into two bowls and put the eggs on a plate. Frowning, he looked around until he spotted the tray they had used for bringing Frigga breakfast in bed during her final days. He put everything on the tray, drizzled honey on the porridge, grabbed some spoons and napkins, and set off down the hall. He stopped first at his brother's door, letting Balder have the tray while he grabbed the bowl meant for Odin.

He knocked gently at his father's door before entering. Odin turned his head wearily to see who was coming. 

"What's this, Thor?" He eyed the bowl dubiously, even though his nose twitched at the rich apple scent.

"I made some porridge for Nanna, and I thought you might like some too. There's apples, walnuts, and honey in it."

"I'll take a bit, I guess. Your mother always made it that way for me," Odin reminisced, smiling fondly at the memory.

Thor swallowed down a painful lump in his throat. "Yes, I remember," he said simply, propping him up against his pillows and offering him a spoonful. Odin raised an eyebrow at being fed like a child, but obediently ate several spoonfuls before refusing the rest.

"No more, son. Why don't you finish it up?" said Odin, pushing the spoon back at Thor. 

Thor groaned internally. Porridge was not one of his favorite things to eat, and definitely not with honey in it; however, he choked it down to make his father happy that he wasn't wasting food.

Odin smiled at Thor as he set the empty bowl down, putting his withered hand on his son's head as though he were still a small child. "Oh, my boy, I remember when Frigga put you in my arms for the first time: so small, so red, so angry. You've grown into a fine young man, whatever your… you know. She wants me to tell you so, your mother. She says not to leave it until it's too late."

Thor felt his eyes fill with tears. "Father, I…" 

Odin's hand dropped to his shoulder and gripped it tightly. "Thor, bring the prince here after you go to the king. Your mother says it's important that he comes here, though she won't tell me why. Always has to have her secrets," he grumbled, giving Thor's shoulder a shake. "Just do what she says, son. Things work out better when you listen to your mother."

"Yes, Father, I'll do as she says," Thor mumbled as tears trickled down into his beard. Odin patted his back awkwardly as he buried his face in his hands, struggling to control his emotions. 

"I'm still very tired, Thor. Go on, I'll see you and your brother later."

Thor nodded, not trusting himself to speak as he gathered the bowl and headed for the door.

************************************

Throughout the morning, Thor and Balder took turns checking on Odin. Whether asleep or awake, the sound of his breathing filled them with dread, the gurgling rattle taking them back to their mother's final days.

"Thor, do you think we should, you know, get a spot ready for him next to Mother?" Balder asked solemnly as they stood outside of Odin's door just after lunch. Odin had refused to eat anything, saying it wasn't necessary and they should go about their business and quit bothering him. 

Thor rubbed at his temples, feeling the beginning of a headache blooming under his fingers. "You're probably right. Balder. Do you think Nanna's mother would sit with him while we take care of it? I don't want him to be alone, but I don't think Nanna should be with him by herself, just in case."

"Good idea, Thor. I'll go get her." Balder hurried off to find his mother-in-law, then met Thor at the toolshed. 

They climbed the hill, shovels in hand, to prepare their father's final resting place. They dug in silence, each wrapped up in his own thoughts as the hole grew deeper. Thor tried to stave off his conflicted feelings about Odin's impending death by imagining Loki exclaiming in delight over all his favorite places: the forest, the pool, the hot spring; however, none of it eased the ache of knowing that his father was dying. A glance over at Balder's troubled face showed that his brother wasn't coping with his thoughts any better than Thor. He glanced up and met Thor's eyes, shaking his head sadly.

"I'd always imagined him having more time, time to see his grandchildren born. It would have made him so happy," Balder said, his voice cracking with grief. Thor dropped his shovel and hugged his brother fiercely, letting Balder's tears soak into his shirt.

As his tears finally abated, Balder scrubbed at his face. "Let's hurry, Thor. I don't know how much time he has left, and I don't want to waste it up here."

They turned back to their work,with renewed vigor, until, at last, the brothers were finished with their task. The grave yawned before them, a silent, lipless mouth ready to devour their father 

Balder turned away from it as if from something unclean. "Did you and Nanna's brother finish the, uh…?" He waved at the grave with a trembling hand. 

Thor understood immediately what Balder was asking. Nanna's elder brother was a carpenter, and he had been working on a coffin for Odin at Thor's request. Thor had been adding special carvings to it, just as he had done for Frigga, and he had finished the last of the work a few days earlier. "Yes, brother. Everything is ready for when the time comes."

Balder sighed heavily and shouldered his shovel. "Let's go, we've likely got a long night ahead of us."

They made their way back down the hill, handing off the shovels to Sven. Their father's man looked at them dolefully. "Is it true then? The Master is…" He choked on his words, and Thor put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. 

"Yes, Sven, it won't be long, I'm sorry to say. Can you let the other men know?"

"Aye, I'll spread the word," he said glumly, turning towards the path to the village. 

As they came back into the house, Nanna was sitting in front of the fireplace, staring blankly into the flames. She turned at the sound of their footsteps and jumped up from her seat, flinging herself into Balder's arms. 

"He's been asking for you both. I didn't want to tell him what you were doing in case it would upset him."

"I'll go," said Thor. "You spend a few minutes with Nanna, brother." He left them huddled together in front of the fire and 

headed down the hall to his father's room.

Nanna's mother looked up from her sewing as Thor quietly entered his father's room. Odin was napping peacefully, but the sound of his breathing had grown louder and more oppressive, and Thor wasn't sure how long he could stand listening to it. He marvelled that Nanna's mother had spent the whole afternoon in there while he and Balder had labored to dig a grave.

"I'm glad you're back, Thor. I doubt he'll last the night," she whispered. "Where's Balder?"

"I told him to sit with Nanna for a while. You're welcome to rest now. I'll sit with him, if someone could bring me something to eat."

"Of course, Thor. I'll take care of that for you gladly. You boys have enough to worry about right now."

Thor slumped down in the chair she had vacated, staring at his father's sunken face. All of his life. Odin had been there like a rock, hard and unyielding, but picturing life without him was surreal and a little frightening. Only the thought of being free to seek out Loki was keeping Thor from breaking down completely.  A soft tap at the door pulled him out of his reverie.  "Come in," he said quietly, trying not to wake Odin.

Nanna's mother entered with a plate of bread and cheese and a mug of ale. "I put Nanna to work making a proper dinner, but this will give you a little strength," she said apologetically. 

"Thank you, this is fine," Thor replied, taking the plate and mug gratefully. After she had left, he nibbled at the bread and cheese, the food sitting heavily in his stomach.  _ Oh Loki, I wish I could have you here with me now. I want you to hold me and tell me that things will be all right. I just feel so alone right now _ , he thought sadly as tears began to sting his eyes again. He pictured Loki wrapped around him, his coils smooth and strong, and the ache in his heart eased a tiny bit.

Balder slipped in quietly, eyes flicking between Thor and Odin. "Any change?" he whispered.

Thor shook his head. "Not really."

Balder sat down in the extra chair that Nanna's mother had brought in while she kept watch with her daughter. "And how about you, Thor? How are you doing? I feel terrible knowing that the one person that would comfort you the most is so far away." He rolled his eyes at Thor's confused look. "Loki. The prince. You know...big snake… scales… fangs. I wish he was here with you, though it would surely send Father over the edge."

Thor chuckled weakly. "I was just thinking the same thing, except for the part about Father."

Balder put a comforting arm around his shoulders. "I assume you'll leave for Utgard as soon as possible. We don't want Ivar trying to lay claim to any of our lands, especially the pasture by the river. He's had his eye on that forever."

Thor snorted. "Oh, I know. He's a conniving prick, to be sure. Though I hate to say it, as soon as Father is laid to rest, I'll be on my way to see the king."

"And the prince," teased Balder, batting his eyelashes at his brother. 

"Absolutely," Thor grinned, smacking Balder on the back of his head.

Both brothers stopped messing around as Odin shifted on his pillows. He opened his eyes, struggling to focus on his surroundings. "Thor? Balder?" he called out weakly, his voice cracking with the effort. 

"We're here, Father," Thor answered swiftly, putting his hand gently on Odin's shoulder.

"Good, good. When I'm gone, Thor, I want you to ride straightaway to Utgard. Take Rolf with you. I know you don't like him, but he's good with a sword and he'll be glad for a chance to visit with his family again while you petition the king. Don't let that bastard Ivar get a chance to move against us, or he'll try to claim our land down by the river." Odin lay back, exhausted by the effort of speaking.

"Balder and I were just discussing that. I'll see you taken care of properly, and then be on my way. I'll go let Rolf know to be prepared to leave immediately," said Thor, rising from his seat.

It didn't take him long to find Rolf. Most of the men were gathered in the front yard, talking worriedly amongst themselves. Thor strode over, trying to appear strong and in control of his emotions.

"Rolf, I need to see you. My father wishes you to do him a final service. Come with me," Thor commanded.

Once they had moved out of earshot of the others, Rolf looked at him curiously. "What does your father want me to do?"

Thor spoke quietly. "Once my father is laid to rest, I need to get to Utgard as quickly as possible. He suggested you as a travel companion since you're good with a sword. Will you come? You can visit with your family  while I take care of my business with the king."

"I'll go pack my bag," said Rolf, turning to go.

"Wait," hissed Thor, not wanting to draw more attention to their conversation than necessary. "Don't do it right now. We don't know what kind of eyes Ivar might have spying on us. Do it in a little while, but do it soon. If the men ask what my father asked you to do, say I told you that he wanted you to help carry his coffin, and Sven as well. I'm sure Father wouldn't mind if you did, since you've both been with our family for a very long time."

"Since before you were born," Rolf said proudly. "I'll be honored to help you and your father in whatever way I can, Thor."

"Thank you, Rolf. I'll go talk to Sven now as well. Be ready, we'll need to move swiftly when it's time." Rolf nodded respectfully and strolled away casually. Thor sighed and began looking for Sven.

Once he had finished talking with Sven, Thor headed back to the house to check on Odin. When he walked in, the look on Balder's face filled him with dread.

"Balder? What is it? Did he…?" Thor groaned.

Balder shook his head. "No, he's still holding on, but he's steadily getting worse. He… confessed something to me, thinking I was an old..uh..  _ friend _ of his instead of his son."

"What do you mean?" Thor asked, confusion furrowing his brow.

"I don't know how to say this, Thor. Please don't be angry, but apparently, when he was young, Father had the, uh, same type of  _ feelings _ that you do for men. He had a lover for a while, but the other young man's father caught him with a different man and punished him publicly in such a way that Father never dared to act on those urges ever again, " Balder said miserably. 

"Dear Gods," whispered Thor, his mind reeling. He never would have suspected his father of harboring such a secret; however, his reaction to catching Thor with Fandral now made a twisted sort of sense. "Did he tell you what happened?"

Balder bit his lip, his face pale. "I really don't think you want to know, Thor. I wish to all the Gods I didn't."

Thor came close and put his hands on Balder's shoulders. "Tell me, brother. I  _ need _ to know."

"Well, to be honest, it explains why Ivar hates Father so much. His beloved little brother and our father were apparently lovers once, but Ivar's brother got greedy and was tupping a groom on the side. Ivar's father caught them and…" Balder's voice broke. He gulped and continued, not daring to look Thor in the eyes. "Father didn't know what happened to the groom, but… Ivar's father let his men  **_use_ ** him- his own son- as they pleased, then he threw him out of the house. They found his body the next day in the river. And Thor, Father and Grandfather were there when it happened. He saw  _ everything _ . Ivar didn't know the truth about Father and his brother until later, but since then, he's blamed Father for the whole mess."

Thor felt sick, like he might vomit, or pass out, or both. He staggered to a chair and sat down hard, dropping his head into his hands. 

"Thor, are you all right?" Balder was worried. He'd never seen Thor so upset before, not even that day years ago in the barn. 

"I'll be all right, Balder. I just… need a minute," Thor said weakly. Never would he ever have guessed that his father would have loved another man and then lost him in such a brutal fashion.  _ No wonder Father was so angry about Fandral! I guess I'm lucky he didn't decide to do anything worse than he did that day. _

Balder cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Thor. I had no idea he had ever… well…"

"I understand how you feel, brother. I never would have expected that from him either," Thor admitted. "I can't help but wonder how he ever ended up marrying Mother, though. I don't think I could force myself to give up Loki, not even if it meant giving up my life here on the farm forever."

"Don't you dare say that, Thor! I can't lose you too, damn it. I don't know how I'd get along without you," Balder said seriously, gripping his brother's arms tightly. 

Thor smiled wryly. "I imagine you'd figure it out, especially with Nanna to help you now. But thank you, brother, I appreciate it more than you know." He pulled Balder on for a quick hug. "Let's go see if Nanna needs help with anything."

**************************************

After a hasty supper, Thor went back in and resumed his watch by his father's bedside. The chilly early spring wind blew up against the house, rattling the shutters and causing the fire to smoke and gutter on the hearth. Lost in thought, he didn't notice Odin had awoken until his father touched his arm. Thor shivered involuntarily at the cold clammy feel of his father's skin.

"What is it, Father? Do you need something?" Thor asked gently.

"Ivar will try to try to break your courage with stories of something that happened a long time ago. Do not listen, my son, or be drawn into arguments about things that happened long before you were born. Just focus on keeping our lands intact and ignore his foolish prattle," Odin replied wearily, struggling to breathe deeply. 

Thor hesitated, not sure if he should broach the subject, but decided this was no time to hide from old secrets. "Are you talking about what happened between you and his brother?"

Odin gave a dreadful rattling sigh. "Aye. I was young and foolish and made a terrible decision, and his brother paid the price for it. I didn't want you to make the same mistakes I did. I have lived with the shame of it all my life."

"But Father, I'm not ashamed of my feelings for Loki or for Fandral. They're a part of who I am, just like my eyes or my skin, and I'm not going to waste any of my life on regrets or might-have-beens. I can't force myself to live a lie like you did with Mother," Thor retorted, feeling a twinge of shame for dragging Frigga's name into their argument.

"A lie? It was no lie, Thor. Wulf and I shared little more than a momentary lust that burned out for him as soon as he found someone more handsome than I. But I truly came to care for your mother, and I'm grateful for the two good sons she gave me. It wasn't easy at times, but marriage never is, my boy. I dare say your brother will be figuring that out for himself before too long," Odin chuckled rustily.

Thor grinned back at him. "Don't worry, Father. I'll be here for him, even if all he needs is a sympathetic ear. It's not easy running this place even with help, but I'll be there to stand behind him. I know he can't legally be designated your heir for a few more years, but…"

Odin pinched his arm to stop Thor's chatter. "Don't be foolish, son. You're still my firstborn and heir; though, unless you have a child somehow, the land will go from you to Balder to his children."

Thor stared at him in shock. He'd lived with the specter of disinheritance looming over his head for so long, it was almost a physical relief to know that he was still worthy in his father's eyes to care for the land he loved as he had been doing since he was a child. "Father…" he choked, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. 

"It's all right, my boy," Odin croaked, patting his arm. "I know the farm will prosper in your care." He moved restlessly on the pillows, vainly seeking a more comfortable position. "Is everything prepared for me?" 

Thor nodded, afraid to look at Odin lest he burst into tears again. 

"Good, good. Your mother says I should rest now," said Odin as he pulled up the blanket covering his wasted body.

"All right, Father. Either Balder or I will be here if you need anything."

"Thank you, son," Odin murmured, closing his eyes and drifting off.

Thor slumped back in his chair, trying to process everything that had just happened. He turned as the door opened quietly and Balder slipped in.

Balder stared at him with worried eyes. "Are you all right, Thor? You look like someone hit you in the head with a board."

"All this time, I thought he had decided to disinherit me, but..." Thor shook his head in disbelief. 

"But he didn't. I already knew that, Thor. That was just a nasty trick of his to try to get you to do what he wanted. And even if he had, I'd never deny you your rightful place here, brother. I swear it on the life of my child," Balder said seriously. 

"Don't say that!" exclaimed Thor, both touched and appalled. "Nanna would have your head for speaking so foolishly."

"No, she wouldn't. Nanna and I both realize how much we owe you. You could have ruined Nanna's reputation when you found us together, but you didn't. You helped get our parents agree to let us get married early so Father could witness and bless our marriage. You gave her Mother's dress for her wedding day, and treated her like a beloved sister. You've helped keep her comfortable and me from going crazy these last few weeks. Why would we want to try to take the farm from you?" Balder asked, fond exasperation clear in his voice.

Thor stared at his brother, too stunned to speak for a moment. Balder's generous spirit threatened to overwhelm him, not only about his primogeniture, but also with his easy acceptance of everything in Thor that his father could not countenance. "I'm not sure what I've done to deserve such a good brother, but I'm grateful to have you stand with me, Balder," Thor said simply.

Balder smiled and put a comforting arm around Thor's shoulders. They sat that way in silence, each wrapped in their own thoughts until a change in Odin's breathing turned their attention back to their father. His breathing was more labored now, with long pauses in between. They looked at each other somberly, knowing that it wouldn't be much longer before they would be laying Odin to rest next to Frigga on the hillside. 

Just before midnight, Thor dozed off for a few minutes and dreamed of his mother and father, young and strong again, walking hand in hand down by the river. A much younger version of himself walked with them, holding onto Balder's hand as he toddled along. Frigga laughed and bent down to kiss his forehead, saying "I love you, my little sunbeam. Now open your eyes before it's too late." Thor awoke abruptly, the feeling of her lips still warm against his forehead. Balder's head had drooped onto his shoulder, and Thor shook him awake. They turned their eyes to the bed, and, as they watched in silence, Odin's chest rose slowly once, twice, and then stilled completely. Balder's face crumpled and he sobbed unashamedly in Thor's arms. Thor held his brother tightly, shedding his own tears that soaked quickly into his beard.

After a few minutes, Thor gently disentangled himself from his brother's embrace. "You'd better go tell Nanna. I'll get someone to help me with the coffin."

Balder nodded, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "All right, Thor. Will we bury him first thing in the morning?"

"Yes, then Rolf and I will leave for Utgard right afterwards. I don't want Ivar to have a chance to get there before us."

Balder nodded and left to go find Nanna. Thor went over to the bed and looked down at his father. His face looked calm and peaceful, expressions Thor had rarely seen on Odin's face while he was alive. "Oh Father," he sighed. "I hope you're at peace now. Don't worry, I'll do my best to keep the farm intact and watch over Balder and Nanna and their children to come." He carefully brushed an errant lock of hair away from Odin's face and kissed his withered cheek before pulling the sheet up over his father's still face.

He left the room and headed for the front door, hearing Nanna's heartbroken sobs as he passed his brother's bedroom. Grabbing an empty lantern from the nail by the front door, he quickly lit a candle from the banked fire and put it inside, heading towards Rolf's cottage. After they talked for a few minutes, Rolf came out and helped Thor carry Odin's coffin from the barn to the house. Balder had been busy in his brother's absence, building up the fire, heating water, and moving everything back against the walls, except for the table. Rolf and Thor placed the coffin on the table, where, once Odin was laid inside, the people of the village could come and pay their respects before the funeral. 

"I'll go get Nanna's parents. She needs someone to be with her while we finish taking care of everything in here," said Balder, eyes red from weeping.

"That sounds like a very good idea, Balder. I'll do what needs to be done with Father," Thor sighed wearily. "Rolf, at sunrise, get everyone assembled for the burial. Once that's complete, you and I will ride for Utgard."

As everyone moved off to their appointed tasks, Thor went to the still room to find the herbs he needed to wash his father's body before burial. He felt his mother's presence strongly as he moved around in her former domain, a tender, sheltering presence that strengthened his heart as he gathered what he needed from the cupboards. He stopped by the kitchen for a large bowl, filling it with the water that Balder had warmed for him on the fire, and then headed back to his father's room. He turned back the sheet and gently washed his father's body with the sweetly scented water to prepare him for his final journey, combing his hair and beard neatly the way that his father had preferred. Once the bath was finished, Thor dug out a beautiful tunic that his mother had embroidered for Odin long before her illness. His father had often worn it for festivals and special occasions, including Balder and Nanna's wedding, and Thor thought it was only fitting that his father should be wearing it when he was reunited with his beloved wife. He found the matching trousers and carefully dressed his father, his hands remarkably steady as he pulled the fabric over his father's cold skin. He straightened Odin's hair and beard one last time before lifting him up, his frail body as light as a child's in Thor's strong arms. He carried Odin to the coffin and laid him down in it carefully, folding his hands across his chest. As his gaze wandered around the room, Thor spotted his father's walking stick by the front door. He had carved it for his father many years ago, and Odin had used it frequently as he went about his duties on the farm. Thor retrieved it and looked at the simple, childish carvings, remembering how proud he was when he presented it to his father. Odin had examined his work carefully and thanked him gravely for the thoughtful gift. His mother had smiled and tousled his hair, pride shining in her eyes. They had all gone for a walk then, Odin testing out Thor's gift and pronouncing it the best walking stick he had ever used. Thor smiled and placed the stick in the coffin with Odin, sliding it under his hands as if it were a knight's fabled sword being entombed with its master. 

As he straightened up from the coffin, Balder came in the front door, Nanna's parents and brother following close behind him. Taking in Thor's weary demeanor, Nanna's mother shooed him off to his room to get a few hours rest. 

"We'll keep watch, Thor. You need to rest now while you still have time," Nanna's mother said firmly.

Thor went to his room without protesting, reminding himself that he faced not only the funeral in a few hours, but several long days in the saddle as well. He slept dreamlessly, waking just before sunrise out of habit. Dressed somberly, he woke Balder and headed towards the main room of the house. Nanna's parents nodded to him as he passed them on the way to the door. He peered outside and was touched beyond measure to see how many people were there waiting to pay their final respects to Odin.

Behind him, Balder cleared his throat. "We're ready if you are, Thor."

Thor nodded, took a deep breath, and opened the door. The villagers filed through quietly, some weeping openly as they murmured soft words of condolences to the brothers. Rolf and Sven were at the end of the line and, as the last of the villagers went by, they stepped up to help Thor and Balder with the coffin along with Nanna's brother and father. The six men carried the coffin out into the bright clear morning, past the crowd of mourners, and up the hill to the waiting gravesite. The villagers followed them up, gathering around as they had for Frigga. The coffin was lowered into the ground, and each of the brothers spoke kindly about their father, sharing good memories of Odin with the villagers. When both brothers were finished speaking, the mourners each dropped a handful of earth into the grave as they left. Once they were all gone, Thor, Balder, and Nanna's father and brother made short work of filling in the rest of the grave 

They descended the hill in silence, each man caught up in his own thoughts. Rolf was waiting there for Thor, who nodded and left to go grab his pack.  By the time he emerged from his room, Balder and Nanna had assembled a bag of travelling food and a full water skin. Thor took them gratefully and hugged them both hard. "I'll see you soon," he promised.

"Will the prince be with you?" Balder asked slyly.

"I hope so," Thor grinned, punching his brother's shoulder. 

Nanna looked at them both as if they were crazy. "The  _ prince _ ? What on earth are you talking about, Balder?"

The brothers shared a guilty glance, and Balder knew he would regret not telling Nanna about Thor's relationship with Prince Loki right away. "Umm, I'll explain later, darling. Let's let Thor get on his way."

"Oh I wish I could be a fly on the wall for that discussion," Thor cackled, heading swiftly for the door before Balder could retaliate. "Take care, you two. I'll see you soon." Then he shot out of the door like an arrow, flying to Utgard to claim both his land and his love.

  
  



	17. An Audience with the Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thor leaves the farm to ride to Utgard and has an unexpected meeting with Queen Laufey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's back to Thor and Loki shenanigans, which means more monsterfucking!! No new tags this time... maybe in the next chapter 😉

It felt strange riding into Utgard without Odin at his side. Thor was tired, sore, and hungry, and he was hoping to have a chance to clean up before presenting himself to the king and queen to swear fealty to them in his own name. As he rode through the gates, the city seemed unusually busy, like a hive ready to swarm. Rolf touched his arm, breaking him out of his reverie. 

"I'll be heading to my cousin's house now, if you don't mind," said the older man. He and Odin had worked together for many years on the farm, but with Odin's death, he had decided to spend some time in the city with his family.

"Certainly, Rolf. I'll go on to the palace and see if I can find Eirik. The sooner I'm done with this, the happier I'll be," Thor sighed. Honestly, he was glad to see Rolf go. He had been the leader of the men who had gotten him drunk and taken him to a brothel on Odin's orders, and the blurry memories of that ill-fated encounter still made him cringe. He turned his worn out horse down the street leading to the royal stables. He was familiar with many of the stablehands from past visits, and he was sure that one of them would be able to find Loki's servant for him.

As luck would have it, Eirik was in the courtyard as he rode up. The man's face lit up when he saw Thor. "Thank the Gods!" he exclaimed fervently, gripping Thor's arm in greeting. "It seems my message reached you in time."

"Message?" Thor looked at him in confusion. "I received no message, Eirik. What's going on? The whole city is abuzz. I've never seen it like this before, even at harvest tithe."

Eirik's face fell. "You didn't get my message? We need to talk now, Thor. Come with me."

But before they could leave the courtyard, one of the royal guards Thor vaguely recognized approached them swiftly. "Eirik, this is Thor, right?" the guard asked curiously. "The queen wishes to see him immediately."

Thor looked at Eirik, who sighed heavily. "Go with him, Thor. I promise you it's urgent, and it involves Prince Loki as well."

Thor looked down helplessly at his travel-stained clothing. "I hope Her Majesty will excuse my appearance. I've been on the road for nearly a week to get here."

Eirik looked around. "Where is your father, Thor? Surely you didn't come all this way alone!"

"I buried my father just over a week ago," Thor replied bluntly. "He'd been in poor health for several years, as you know, and this winter was just too much for him. He took ill in his lungs and never recovered. I came here to swear fealty for our lands. One of our men rode with me, but he wanted to stay with some family down in the city."

Eirik's face fell. "I'm very sorry for your loss, Thor. I hope what Her Majesty wishes to discuss with you might ease your sorrow."

The guard cleared his throat. "Speaking of Her Majesty, I'm supposed to be taking him to the queen straightaway. If you'd follow me, please…"

Thor looked at Eirik, who gave him an encouraging smile. Thor nodded to him, then followed the guard to the queen's chambers.

**************************

Queen Laufey's chambers were very different from what Thor expected. Instead of golden statues and rich hangings, the room was filled with plants of all varieties. There were flower pots everywhere: large urns on the floor, smaller pots on tables and windowsills, even hanging baskets overflowing with trailing vines. Thor thought he recognized some of the same kinds of plants from Loki's room nestled among the tangled foliage. A door in the far wall opened, and the queen stepped through. She was tall and slender with dark hair that hung to her waist in a thick braid woven with flowers. Even the golden circlet on her forehead was shaped like a flowering vine. She smiled wearily at Thor and beckoned him to come closer.

Thor bowed carefully, perplexed at this private meeting with the queen. "Your Majesty, I am Thor, son of Odin. You wished to see me?"

"Yes," she replied, smiling graciously. "I know that you and my son have become good friends over the years. Prince Loki has always spoken very highly of you, but I have never had the opportunity to meet you. I'm glad to finally be able to speak with you face to face."

"Thank you. Your Majesty. I'm honored that Prince Loki counts me as one of his friends," Thor replied cautiously. 

The queen gazed steadily at him, her green eyes clear and lovely, just like Loki's. "So, Thor, there is somewhat of a mystery about my son's belongings that I was hoping you could clear up for me."

Thor's mind froze, already realizing what she was alluding to before she even pulled his linen underdrawers out of a covered basket and laid them on a small table. 

"These were found in Prince Loki's chamber by Eirik when he was planting some new greenery by his den. They are far too big to be Eirik's, you see, and much too small to be Volstagg's. All of the other servants who attend Loki are women, and you are the only other man to enter Loki's chamber besides his brother and father. So I ask you, Thor, son of Odin, does this garment belong to you?"

Thor gulped, his panicked thoughts buzzing like angry bees. "Last fall, Prince Loki asked me if I would leave him something with my scent on it to help with his loneliness. I figured it would be remarked if I left his quarters without my tunic or trousers so…" he gestured helplessly at the fabric. "It was the only other thing I could think of since I didn't have my pack with me. I apologize for my presumption."

"Thor," she said, voice calm and compassionate. "Have you been intimate with my son? I am not asking you for details, but I must know your answer."

For a moment, he considered lying, but he couldn't bring himself to look his lover's mother in the eyes and deny their shared feelings. Thor bowed his head, not wanting to see the disgust in her eyes when he told her the truth. "Yes," he whispered, eyes filling with tears. He wanted to sink into the floor with shame. He only hoped that Loki wouldn't be punished for his misdeeds.

Queen Laufey grasped his chin with gentle fingers and brought his gaze level with hers. To Thor's surprise, the queen's eyes were wet as well. Her free hand sought his cold, shaking fingers. "I have no right to even ask, and I certainly will not command, but… would you be willing to marry Loki? His brother Bylestir wishes to wed, but Loki has suddenly demanded that, as the eldest son, he be married first. However, every candidate we've proposed has been met with… disapproval from my contrary son. As our laws are written, if Loki does not marry, Bylestir cannot marry either, and the throne will need an heir for the future. So, when Eirik came to me with your clothing, I thought, perhaps, if you truly have  _ affections _ for Loki, you might agree to wed him. What do you think, Thor?"

Staring into the queen's hopeful green eyes, Thor blurted out the first thought in his mind. "Your eyes are like his, Your Majesty. I look into them, and I can deny you nothing."

She flushed scarlet at his words, but made no comment.

"I would like to be allowed to  _ ask _ him though, my queen," Thor continued. "He should have the chance to accept or reject my suit as he chooses."

A tear escaped the queen's eye and slid down her pale cheek. "You are most thoughtful, Thor, son of Odin. I truly hope my son will accept your proposal. Why don't you go ask him now?" 

Thor looked ruefully at his grubby clothing. "I had hoped to clean up a bit before seeing anyone else of importance. In fact, I  _ was _ coming to see you, and the king as well. My father passed away recently, and I was coming to swear fealty in return for his lands."

"And you shall have them, regardless of whether Loki chooses to marry you or not," promised the queen, patting his hand. "You know, Loki has a lovely heated pool in his chamber. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you used it to clean up."

Thor blushed furiously, remembering some of the things he had done with the prince in that very pool. The queen shook her head in amusement and waved him towards the door.

"Go, Thor. Seek out my son and ask him your question. I will await your answer until, oh, dinner this evening, shall we say?" 

Thor nodded mutely and bowed to the queen before leaving her chambers. He made it around the corner just out of the sight of her guards before his shaking legs gave out, and he slumped against the wall for support.  _ Oh Gods, does Loki even know Eirik found my clothes? I'd better go see how he's doing and, uh, find out if he wants to get married or… oh Gods, the Queen  _ **_knows_ ** _ that I… that we… _ He pressed his forehead to the cold stone and took a shaky breath.  _ Let me go talk with Loki. _

*******************************

Eirik was waiting for him at the bottom of the main staircase, a worried look on his face. "*Is everything all right, Thor? I wanted to talk to you before you met with the queen about, you know…"

Thor looked carefully at Eirik. Loki's old servant met his eyes, and Thor saw no judgment there, only compassion. "The queen has given me permission to ask Loki if he would be willing to wed me. I have until dinner this evening to bring her his answer."

Eirik put his hand on Thor's shoulder. "Well then, I guess I'd better get you to his chamber so you can ask him your question. I took your pack there myself if you have need of it."

Thor followed Loki's servant down the unfamiliar twisting hallways until they came to his chamber door. Volstagg was on duty as usual, and he was quick to greet Thor warmly.

"Thor!" he exclaimed heartily. "I'm glad tae see ye, lad. Himself has been in rare form this month with all th' fuss about wedding plans. Did yer Da stay on th' farm with yer brother?"

"No, he… he's gone, Volstagg. I buried him last week," said Thor, throat aching suddenly with unshed tears.

"Oh, lad, I'm sorry," said Volstagg, giving him a rough hug. "I thought ye'd come for Himself. Eirik said he sent ye a message about this marriage foolishness."

"I never actually got any message, but I'm here now. I hope he'll be glad to see me," Thor said, wiping his eyes. Volstagg opened the door for him, and Thor stepped inside Loki's chamber. 

**********************

"Loki?" Thor called softly. "Where are you?"

The lindworm slunk out from the greenery, head hung low. "I'm here, Thor. Pleassse don't be crosss with me."

Thor held out his arms, and Loki gratefully slithered up and came into his sheltering embrace. He wrapped his arms around the prince's torso as far as he could reach, noting that Loki had grown substantially in the few months they had been apart.

As they reluctantly separated, Thor gently took one of the prince's clawed hands and led him over to their favorite spot in front of the fireplace. He plopped down on his usual cushion, but Loki didn't twine around him like he normally did, sitting tense and anxious with his head lowered. 

"I'm sssorry, Thor. I never meant for Eirik to sssee your clothessss. I know it wasss sssupposssed to ssstay sssecret," Loki confessed, eyes trained on the floor.

Thor reached out and rubbed his brow ridges, making Loki whimper softly. The prince scooted closer on his belly until his head rested heavily in Thor's lap. "Don't worry, Loki. I'm not angry at you, you silly little snake. Come on, curl up around me so we can both be comfortable." A sound almost like a sob sounded in Thor's head, and Loki quickly wrapped his coils around his friend, the familiar position quickly relaxing them both.

"Ssso, are you here becaussse of Eirik'sss messsage?" Loki mumbled shyly, still trying to hide his eyes from Thor.

"I never actually received any message. I was probably already on the road to Utgard to see your parents."

"My parentsss? But why did you need to sssee them, Thor?' Loki asked, wrinkling his brow in confusion. 

Thor exhaled heavily. "My father is dead, Loki. I came to swear fealty for our lands, but your mother's guard intercepted me first and took me to her chambers."

"Ohhhhhh," the prince groaned in dismay. "Ssshe ssshowed you your clothesss, didn't ssshe?"

"Yes," Thor muttered, ears pink with embarrassment. "I… I told her about us, though I think she already knew, or at least suspected. She was saying that you suddenly wanted to be wed, but you wouldn't accept anyone that they picked out for you. So, I wanted to ask you if you would be willing to marry me."

"Are you ssseeriousss?" whispered Loki, his coils trembling against Thor's body.

In answer, Thor leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Very serious, Loki. Will you marry me? You could come to the farm and roam the hills with me," he offered, stroking the delicate scales between the prince's eyes. 

"I want to sssay yesss, but… will your father'sss men accept usss?"

"They're my men now, mine and Balder's, and they're free to leave at any time if they don't like it, " growled Thor, his protective instincts roused by the uncertainty in Loki's voice. "Don't let fear of their opinions make your decision for you. Tell me the truth of your heart, Loki."

"Yesss, Thor, I very much wisssh to wed you," whispered Loki, rubbing his snout against Thor's chest. 

Thor kissed his forehead again. "Good. We'll let your mother know tonight at dinner that you've accepted my proposal. Gods, I need to get cleaned up, though. I can't believe I met your mother looking and smelling like this!" he groaned, wrinkling his nose in disgust. 

Loki sniffed at him, his breath warm on Thor's body. "It'sss not too bad, Thor, but you can ussse my pool if you like. Go ahead, undresss."

Thor flushed, remembering his conversation with the queen. "Are you sure? I'll need to use lots of soap and I don't want to dirty your water."

"Ssssilly Thor, it can be changed very easssily. Sssee here? You pull that to sssend the dirty water away and ussse thisss lever to refill it. You can choosssse the temperature asss well. Eirik usssually doesss it for me becaussse it'sss hard to do with my clawsss."

Thor was impressed. "Well! We don't have anything like that on the farm. All right then, where's my pack?" 

"Eirik left it by the door, I think," said Loki, slithering over to check. He dragged the heavy pack back to the pool with his teeth and nudged it at Thor. "What isss sssoap? I don't think I've ever usssed it before."

"Probably not, since you have scales instead of skin. It just helps us get clean and makes our skin smell good. My mother made wonderful soap for us, but mine doesn't always turn out as well as hers," Thor said wistfully as he dug out clean clothes along with a yellowish bar of soap. 

Loki sniffed it curiously. "I like how that sssmellsss,Thor. What isss it made from?"

"Mostly chamomile. Mother used it for many things. It's good in a tea if you're anxious or stressed, and it's also good for your skin. Plus, the flowers just smell nice too." He sighed and started taking off his clothes and putting them in a pile next to the pool.

Loki watched avidly as Thor stripped naked, his muscles flexing smoothly under his tanned skin. Although Thor had told him that snakes usually only mated once or twice a year, Loki found that once Thor had taught him about giving and receiving pleasure, he often enjoyed stroking himself in the heated waters of his pool until he climaxed. It was always enjoyable, though he usually found himself wishing that Thor was there with him to lend a hand (or mouth) with his efforts. 

Thor smiled as he noticed Loki staring hungrily at his nude body. He had spent many a lonely night in his bed after their last meeting with his fingers filling his arse, wishing it was one of Loki's cocks in there instead as he stroked himself to completion. It wasn't that what he was doing by himself wasn't pleasurable, but the real thing with Loki was so much better by far. He felt a tingle of anticipation curl in his belly, making his cock start to fill under Loki's watchful eyes. 

"See something you like?" he asked cheekily, turning his body slightly so Loki could see the swell of his burgeoning erection.

"Perhapsss," drawled the lindworm as he scooted closer, gently running a claw down Thor's back and making him shiver with desire. "Let'sss sssee about getting you clean with thisss sssoap, ssshall we?"

"Damn it," Thor growled in annoyance. "I forgot to bolt the door. Go on in, Loki, and I'll be right back." He went over quickly and slid the bolt to prevent anyone from walking in on them, then headed back towards the pool where Loki was waiting.

Loki reclined in the steaming water, watching his lover and now husband-to-be stride back towards him, all muscles and golden skin ripe for the tasting, along with his hard cock that was already leaking without even being touched. He felt a pleasant stirring under his scales where his cocks were hidden, and he wondered what Thor might like to do besides just bathe.

Thor slid gratefully into the hot water, sore muscles slowly unclenching the deeper he went. He let out a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the stress of his journey slowly drain out of his body, only to he replaced by a more pleasant kind of tension as the tip of Loki's tail ran teasingly up his spine and back down again, brushing against the cleft of his arse. Thor opened his eyes and looked at Loki. The lindworm was attempting to look innocent, but Thor recognized the wicked gleam in his slitted eyes that meant Loki wanted to touch and taste him with his strong, thick tongue. 

"Pass me the soap, Loki," Thor requested, and Loki handed him the thick yellowish block, sniffing curiously at the bubbles it left on his claws. Thor lathered up his hands and started running them over his arms and chest. Loki looked intrigued and picked the soap up again, repeating what Thor had done and getting a nice pile of suds on his hands. Thor sighed appreciatively as Loki began to carefully rub the suds onto his back, the small scales on his palms gently scrubbing him clean. It was no surprise when Loki's arms crept around and began rubbing at his chest, spreading the soap around. Thor hissed as Loki's scales slid against his nipples, making his cock harden under the water.. Loki hissed back in his ear, a low, hungry sound that made Thor take hold of one of Loki's hands and guide it to his cock.

"Are you sssure?" Loki asked, afraid to injure Thor in such a delicate location with scale or claw. 

"I want you to try it," Thor murmured, wrapping Loki's hand around his erection and encouraging him to stroke it. The prince touched him tentatively at first, trying to gauge what speed and pressure Thor liked best. As Thor responded eagerly to his touches, Loki began stroking him more firmly, making Thor gasp and writhe in his arms, his arse rubbing against Loki's hidden slit.

"Are you clossse, Thor? I want to tassste you," Loki growled, and Thor shivered, eager to comply with the prince's desire.

"Here, let me sit up on the edge. I think that will make it easier." Thor hopped up and sat on the rim of the pool, the stone shockingly cool against his bare skin. He spread his thighs wide, and Loki slid his head in between them, ready and waiting. Thor fisted his cock, letting Loki flick the head of it with his tongue to give him a little taste of what he wanted. The touch of the prince's tongue reminded him of how Loki had fucked his arse with it the last time they had seen each other, and he moaned as he felt his climax approaching. "Are you ready, Loki?" he panted. "I'm so close…" The lindworm let Thor position his head at the right angle with his free hand, his jaw open for Thor's seed. Thor laid his cock against Loki's tongue as he came, his seed spurting into the prince's mouth, and Loki licked his lips, savoring the salty taste of his lover. He slowly ran his scaled hands along Thor's muscular thighs, enjoying the feel of his smooth, tanned skin. 

As Loki stroked his legs, Thor suddenly felt lightheaded. The heat of the pool, his hunger, and his fatigue all combined with the intensity of his orgasm to make him start to black out. His body began to slump helplessly to the side, threatening to dump him into the pool.

"Thor!!' Loki shrieked, trying to keep him upright, desire instantly pushed aside by concern for his lover. "What isss it?? What'sss wrong??"

Thor stared at him blankly for a moment. "I… I think I just need to rest for a bit, Loki. Maybe eat something. I'm just so tired…"

"Ssstay right there, I'll get Volssstagg," Loki promised, laying him down gently on his side next to the pool. He fled across the room, threw back the bolt, and banged on the door. When Volstagg opened the door, Loki tugged on his arm and pointed at the pool. Seeing Thor's prone body, the burly guard moved swiftly to his side, while Loki rang frantically for Eirik.

"Thor, what ails ye, laddie?" Volstagg asked, gently shaking his shoulder. 

"I didn't really eat much this morning, and the journey here was more difficult than usual because of the weather. I'm really just tired, Volstagg. No need to fuss," Thor said weakly, hating how his voice trembled.

"Let's get ye tae th' fire," said the guard, taking off his cloak and wrapping it around Thor's nude body. He lifted the younger man easily and carried him over to the hearth where Loki had pushed all of his cushions together to form a makeshift bed. 

By this time, Eirik had arrived. "What's going on here?" he demanded, concerned for Thor's well-being when he saw him lying by the fire on Loki's cushions. 

"Thor wasss usssing my pool to wasssh up, and he sssat on the ssside for a moment and then he almossst fell in. He sssaid he'sss very tired and hungry. Can you bring him sssomething to eat? Pleassse?" Loki wrung his hands, feeling guilty about Thor's sudden collapse.  _ If I hadn't ssstarted touching him, he might ssstill be all right, _ the lindworm thought miserably, whimpering in distress 

"Of course, Your Highness. I'll be right back. For the time being, keep talking to him and keep him awake until we get some food into his body. Don't worry, my prince, he'll be fine. Thor is a very strong young man," Eirik said soothingly, patting Loki's coils gently before heading off to the kitchen to see if Hilda could put together a quick meal.

On his way to the kitchen, Eirik found one of the serving girls who sometimes helped him in Loki's chambers and asked her to gather some bedding and blankets and leave it at the prince's door. Then he followed the smell of cooking down to the kitchen and sought out Hilda. When she heard that Loki's friend was ill and needed a meal, she loaded up a tray with soup, bread, and fruit, along with a few meat pies for Loki, saying "He can keep that poor boy company while he eats." Eirik thanked her profusely and headed back towards the prince's chambers.

Volstagg opened the heavy wooden door so Eirik could make it through bearing the heavily laden tray for Thor. As he approached, he could see that Thor and Loki were deep in a serious conversation about something. One disadvantage of Loki's unique ability to communicate was that he could only 'talk' to one person at a time, so Eirik had no idea what they were discussing, but Loki looked sad… and guilty. Thor responded by gently caressing Loki's head and kissing him on the forehead. Eirik was a bit embarrassed to witness such a tender, intimate moment between the two of them, even though he was fairly certain that they had physically gone much further than just kissing; in fact, he raised an eyebrow when he noticed Thor was still naked under Volstagg's cloak. He cleared this throat, and they both looked at him guiltily. 

"Beef barley soup, bread, and dried apples for Thor, and some meat pies for you, Loki. Hilda specifically said you need to keep Thor company while he eats," Eirik commanded, setting the tray down on a small table near the fireplace, then scooting it over to Thor.

"Thank you, Eirik," said Thor, reaching for a meat pie and handing it to Loki before taking some bread and dipping it into the soup. "Mmmm, that's wonderful. We didn't eat a lot of hot food on the way here. The roads were just awful- rain, mud, downed trees, flooded spots…" He shook his head at the memories of the arduous journey. "It's much easier travelling here in the fall, but I had to come as soon as my father died so no one else could try to lay claim to any of our lands." He smiled at Loki and stroked his scales. "I'm glad I came when I did."

"Yesss, my father wasss  **_very_ ** upssset that I wissshed to marry before Bylessstir! It isss part of our laws, though- eldessst firssst! I wasss hoping you would get my messssage and come for me." Loki smiled toothily, crumbs of meat pie sticking to his snout. Thor passed him another pie, and Loki nibbled at it delicately.

"Yes, but what exactly is your plan, Thor?" asked Eirik, curious how the young man intended to handle the situation.

"Well, the queen told me that she wanted Loki's answer by dinnertime tonight, so I figured we would go to the Great Hall together and announce that Loki had accepted my marriage proposal," replied Thor.

"We???" exclaimed Eirik. "You can't be serious!"

Thor stared at him, confusion in his eyes. "Of course I'm serious. Why would you ask me that, Eirik?"

"I… well, the prince doesn't go to other areas of the palace, Thor. It's not allowed."

Thor was absolutely appalled. "You mean to tell me that Loki has been kept in this room his  **_entire life_ ** ?? He never goes outside?? That's terrible! He's your prince, not an animal!! How could you go along with this, Eirik? I thought you cared about Loki."

Eirik looked down at the floor, ashamed. "I know it's wrong, Thor, but you have to understand. It was a royal command directly from the king, and I didn't dare disobey it if I wanted to be able to continue caring for Loki. Not everyone had his best interests at heart when he was small. Some of the nobles wanted him sent to live with other lindworms up in the mountains, some simply wanted him dead. None of them wanted Loki roaming the palace freely. The queen and I decided the best way to keep him safe was to follow the king's orders, whether we agreed with it or not."

Thor clenched his fists. "I tell you this now, Eirik. If anyone thinks I will allow Loki to be locked away like this after we're married, they're going to get a very unpleasant surprise. If he's not wanted here, he can come live with me on the farm. He's not going to be a prisoner anymore, Eirik! Do you understand?"

"It's not me that you have to convince, Thor. King Farbauti was furious when Loki was born first. If Prince Bylestir had been born a lindworm too, Queen Laufey would have been sent back to her family in disgrace. As it is, he barely seems to tolerate her most days. He won't take kindly to you defying him in front of the court," Eirik warned.

"Thor, it'sss all right. I'll ssstay here in my roomsss," Loki muttered, nosing at Thor's leg for reassurance. "My father ssscaresss me sssometimesss."

Thor smoothed Loki's brow ridges gently with his thumbs to soothe him. "Loki, I want you to come with me to my home. It won't be as fancy as living in a palace with servants, I know, but I want you to be able to come and go as you please. In order to do that, we'll have to stand up to your father. Perhaps he'll be glad that I want to take you away."

Eirik sighed heavily. "I'll probably regret this, but… while you rest, I'll see if I can come up with some court clothes for you, Thor. King Farbauti tends to pay more attention to people who look wealthy and influential. Maybe I can even find something for Loki, too. But for now, you might want to go ahead and put on something from your pack, don't you think?"

Thor blushed hotly. "Oh, right," he mumbled, getting clumsily to his feet. Loki shadowed him as he walked over to the pool to find the clean clothes he had pulled out of his pack earlier. As Thor dressed, Eirik brought in the bedding that the serving girl had left at the door and made a more comfortable bed by the fire.

"Thank you, Eirik," Thor said gratefully, sinking down onto the cushions and pulling the blankets up to his chest.

"I'll come back when it's time to dress for dinner. In the meantime, try to get some rest."

Once Eirik had left, Loki slithered over to Thor's makeshift bed, poking at the blankets curiously with his snout. Thor lifted up the edge of the blanket in invitation, and Loki scooted in underneath, wrapping his coils neatly around Thor.

"Thisss isss very nice, Thor. I wouldn't mind sssleeping like thisss more often. It'sss ssso warm and cozy," Loki said sleepily, butting his head up against Thor's chest for some quick scratches before he settled into his usual sleeping position. Thor threw his arm over Loki's coils and drifted off to sleep.

  
  



	18. Indigestion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Loki crash the court's dinner to ask the king's permission to get married.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And you thought Thor had a shitty dad...

Thor awoke to Eirik gently shaking his shoulder. He glanced up blearily at the older man, taking in his serious expression. 

"Is it time?" he asked groggily, trying to run his fingers through his tangled hair. 

"Yes, the two of you should get up now. I found a set of clothes for you and some things for Loki as well. I still don't think this is wise, Thor. King Farbauti doesn't like being challenged, especially in public."

Thor groaned and stretched, bumping into solid, scaly coils which woke Loki up as well. Hissing grouchily, the prince uncoiled slowly, letting Thor have a bit more space to get to his feet.

"Mussst we do thisss, Thor? If my father getsss angry with you, he might keep usss apart...or worssse," Loki pleaded.

Thor reached out and took hold of one of Loki's hands. "I want you to be with me, Loki- not hidden, not secret- by my side, always. I don't want any dowry or special arrangements from your father. I just want you, you silly snake, and I won't leave Utgard without you." He laid his forehead against Loki's, knowing how much the lindworm enjoyed that gesture. "Let's get dressed and go ruin your father's digestion."

The clothes Eirik had found for him seemed alien and exotic to Thor compared to what he normally wore on the farm. The dark grey tunic was a soft plush velvet heavy with silver embroidery that hung down past the middle of his thighs. A heavy belt of silver discs cinched the tunic in tight at his waist, making his shoulders appear even broader and more muscular. And as for his legs… Thor blushed hotly at the sight of the tight hose clinging to his thighs and calves. When he had first tried to put them on, Eirik had to point out that he wouldn't be able to wear his customary linen underdrawers beneath them. Now the soft knitted fabric was rubbing gently against his cock and balls, and he felt exposed and vulnerable. He hoped that their meeting with the king and queen would be brief so he could come back and change into something more _decent_ for the rest of the night.

He turned to check on Loki and gasped. Loki looked...magnificent. Eirik had found some sort of delicate headpiece made of gold chains, wrapping it deftly around Loki's horns so it sat just on top of his brow ridges in front and flowed down the back of his head in a chiming golden waterfall, and a heavy gold bracelet wrapped around each of his biceps, glinting richly against his emerald and ebony scales. Eirik had also fastened an emerald green silk cloak around Loki's shoulders with a heavy golden clasp that fluttered gently as he moved, and he looked every inch the prince that he was born to be.

Eirik brought a brilliant red wool cloak over to Thor, shaking out its folds before slinging it around the younger man's shoulders and clasping it in place. He pulled out an ivory comb and motioned for Thor to take a seat in front of him. Eirik deftly combed the tangles out of his long blond hair and pulled the front of it back away from his face, plaiting it into a tight braid that he tied with a black silk ribbon.

"There, now you look like a young gentleman that the king might pay more attention to," Eirik said proudly, flicking imaginary dust off of Thor's shoulder. "Before you leave, I need you both to understand several things. First, King Farbauti is a strong king, but he is not a kind man. He is still bitter about the circumstances of Prince Loki's birth, and takes it out regularly on the queen. He will most likely not look kindly on your request, thinking that you must be somehow trying to gain power or status by marrying the prince. The queen will likely try to speak on your behalf, but her opinion will carry little weight with the king. Prince Bylestir _may_ be an ally of sorts. He ardently wishes to be married, but since Prince Loki invoked his right to marry first as the eldest son, he cannot do so until Loki is wed. He will likely argue that if you want the prince as he is, you should have him; however, if his father strongly opposes your suit, his support will likely evaporate. Next, the queen insisted on these particular garments for you both. Prince Loki is wearing the colors and regalia of the queen's line to show that she claims him both as her child and a potential heir to the throne. Thor, you are wearing the colors that would mark you as the Queen's Champion in her homeland, thus showing that your suit for the prince's hand in marriage has her favor. This may work for you or against you, depending on the king's mood." Eirik took a deep breath, knowing that his next words would be very hurtful, especially to Thor. "Finally, you must both understand that many of the courtiers will have very ugly things to say about your potential union. At best, they may claim that you, Prince Loki, are using some sort of fairy magic to seduce a simple farm boy into base acts. At worst, they will spread rumors of Thor's debauchery and willingness to copulate with one that they see as little better than an animal." He glanced at Thor, noticing how his jaw had tightened in anger. "I have no wish to upset either one of you by saying these things, but I felt you should be prepared that there will be nasty rumors of all sorts."

"I don't care what they say about me, as long as the king gives us permission to marry," growled Thor. 

"And if he doesn't?" challenged Eirik. "What then, Thor?"

The younger man laughed grimly. "Then I guess I'll be kidnapping a prince."

Eirik looked at him seriously. "Some would consider those words to be treason. You would be wise not to utter them outside this room."

"Well, let's hope His Majesty can be made to see reason then," Thor snapped. "Come, let's get this farce over with. We'll figure out what to do next once we get the king's answer."

***************************************

Eirik led the way to the Great Hall, taking as many little-used back corridors as he could, while Volstagg brought up the rear, casually scanning for threats to the prince. Loki was dreadfully nervous at being out of his room for the first time in his life, but he did his best to appear nonchalant, his horned head held high while Thor paced at his side, his strong presence helping to keep Loki calm.

Eventually, they arrived at the main corridor leading to the Great Hall. Even from this distance, they could hear the sounds of revelry and smell the scent of roasted meat. Eirik took a deep breath, knowing that their entrance would be talked about for years to come.

"I'll have the Chamberlain announce the two of you before you enter. As prince, Loki will lead and you will follow three paces behind him, Thor. Volstagg and I will enter with you, but wait by the door until your audience with the king is over. I pray that the king is in a generous mood and grants your boon quickly without making an unpleasant scene."

Thor touched Loki's arm, feeling how badly his lover was trembling. He drew the prince's head down to him so he could rest his forehead against Loki's, gently stroking the lindworm's scales until he could feel Loki relaxing. "Don't worry, I'm here with you," he murmured, pressing a kiss to Loki's brow. "I love you dearly, and I won't let anyone keep us apart. Come, let's go tell your parents that you've accepted my proposal."

"I wisssh it wasss only my mother we had to face. Ssshe would not causse usss grief for our choicesss," Loki said sadly, hiding his face against Thor's chest.

"I know, but if we face your father in public and he agrees, he can't back out later without losing his courtiers' trust. Believe me, I know how hard it is to go against a father's wishes, Loki. I've been there, and only the thought of being with you someday in the future kept me going. We can do this, and we'll do it together, right?"

Loki nodded wordlessly and lifted his head proudly, hoping desperately that, by the end of the night, he would be betrothed to his dearest love. Squaring his shoulders, he took his place in front of Thor and nodded to Eirik. As his servant went to speak to his father's Chamberlain, he took a deep steadying breath to settle his nerves 

All eyes turned to the door in shock as the Chamberlain announced their arrival in a shaking voice. Loudly chattering voices were swiftly hushed in disbelief as Loki swept bravely into the hall, followed closely by Thor, and bright, malicious eyes tracked them as they paced towards the high table where King Farbauti dined before the court with the queen and Prince Bylestir at his side. Thor kept his head high and refused to allow himself to react to the whispers hissing from every table, focusing instead on Queen Laufey's face. She was trying to keep her face impassive, but Thor had seen the flash of fear when he had entered the hall at Loki's side; clearly she had expected him to come alone. 

Thor studied the royal family covertly as he walked just behind Loki. All his life he had heard that the king was strong, brave, and handsome, but the man seated above him was a gross caricature of his former self. Years of drinking and feasting had coarsened his once powerful body, and lines of constant bitterness and cruelty were mapped on his face for all to see. He refused to speak to Queen Laufey, even though she was seated at his right side in a place of honor, choosing to either bark at his younger son or bray at a few chosen nobles who had been seated at the high table as a show of favoritism. Seated at his father's left hand, Loki's younger twin brother, Prince Bylestir, bore a marked resemblance to the king in the days of his youth, sharing few features with his pale, solemn mother. He ate heartily like his father, but kept mostly to himself, speaking only when his father spoke directly to him. The queen seemed to sit in a bubble of silence, speaking to no one as she pushed her food around on her plate in a pretense of eating. On the surface, the queen appeared serene and unbothered as they approached, but Thor could see the lines of worry creasing her fair skin.

As they finally came to the foot of the dais, King Farbauti leaned forward, an ugly glint in his piggish eyes. "Who in the fuck let this creature into my hall when I'm trying to eat? Get him out of here. _Now_. "

Thor felt Loki shudder in fear and decided to take matters into his own hands before the guards could act on his orders. "Greetings, King Farbauti. I am Thor, son of Odin, and I have come before you this day to ask for the hand of Prince Loki in marriage."

The king stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded, then burst into raucous laughter. "I beg your pardon? You want to do _what_?? You can't be serious, man! Besides the fact that you're both male, look at him- he's a damned monster!"

Thor fought to keep his anger from showing on his face at the king's treatment of Loki in front of the court. "As I understand it, Your Majesty, in order for Prince Bylestir to marry and eventually sire an heir for the throne, you need someone who is willing to wed Prince Loki, and no one else has been acceptable to him thus far. The Prince and I have been friends for many years, and he accepted my proposal this afternoon. Once we are wed, he will come with me to my lands in New Asgard, and you need never be troubled by his presence again."

Farbauti slammed his fist on the table, trying unsuccessfully to intimidate Thor. "Why in the fuck would you want to marry a scaly, misbegotten monster when you could find some sweet little virgin to stick it in, hmm? What are you trying to get from me, farmer boy?" the king demanded belligerently, glaring fiercely at Thor.

Thor set his jaw arrogantly and stared right back at the king. "I need nothing from you to take care of Prince Loki. My lands will more than provide for his needs… Your Majesty," he growled, wishing he could knock some sense into Farbauti's head.

Before the king could reply to Thor's insolence, Prince Bylestir leaned over to whisper urgently to his father. Farbauti listened intently, his face like a thundercloud at first, but smoothing to a self satisfied sneer by the time Bylestir was finished talking.

"My _heir_ raises a valid question. Are you willing to give up any possible claim you may think you possess to my throne?" he spat at Loki, his disgust for his eldest son written plainly on his face.

Loki nodded his head in a jingle of golden chains, not wanting to open his mind to speak to his father. He had no interest in staying in Utgard any longer than he had to, wishing desperately that his father would just stop tormenting them and agree so he and Thor could leave right away for the farm.

Farbauti sneered at his son's apparent submissiveness. "What's this? You'll just give up your birthright like that? Have you no pride, serpent?" He took a deep swig of his ale and let out a massive belch. "I swear, it makes me wonder if you're even my son at all." Queen Laufey's face went white at the insult, but she said nothing, not wanting to risk her husband's wrath in front of the court. 

Thor, on the other hand, saw her humiliation, and it infuriated him. "You dishonor your wife with such slander! The entire kingdom knows both of your sons were born of a single birth, so cease your foolish chatter, Your Majesty. If Loki's presence here is so offensive to you, then let the two of us be married, we'll leave for my home, and you need never lay eyes on him again."

The entire hall went dead silent at Thor's furious outburst. No one dared to even whisper as the king's bloated face went dark red with anger. "How dare you speak to your king like that, you depraved pervert? Maybe some time in a cell will improve your manners… Guards!" he started to shout, but the lindworm's next move stunned the king and court alike.

" **_ENOUGH!!!!!_ ** " Loki's voice roared menacingly in everyone's mind, causing more than a few of the courtiers to pass out from the shock. Even Thor swayed on his feet from the ferocious power of his lover's mental voice, standing there dazed as Loki advanced up the stairs to the high table and loomed over his father, lips drawn back in a snarl that exposed his long, sharp teeth. Farbauti cowered back in his seat, belatedly realizing that the son he had locked away so many years ago as an embarrassment to his manhood had grown into a very powerful and dangerous creature. Loki dug his claws into the table, gouging deep holes into the thick wood as he thrust his snout into his father's face. "You will be sssilent and lisssten, _Father_. Thor hasss treated me with ressspect and honor sssince we were children, unlike othersss here I could obviousssly mention. He hasss generousssly offered to wed me, and I have accepted hisss proposssal. I tell you thiss now, Father- I expect to be married and on my way to hisss landsss by the end of thisss week. Otherwissse, thingsss will become very unpleasssant for you," he snarled, flashing his sharp teeth in his father's face again.

"That's not very much time to plan a ceremony, my dear," the queen interjected, her soft voice quavering. It had been a long time since she had seen Loki so angry, and, even though she loved her eldest son dearly, his rage at his father was a frightening thing to behold. "Just Thor's wedding tunic alone…"

Loki kept his eyes trained fiercely on his father, who trembled under his gaze like a rabbit in a trap, but his tone gentled as he spoke his mother. "We do not ssseek a fancy wedding, Mother. Jussst let the two of usss sssay our vowsss before the priesst and be done with it. If my father wissshesss it, I will gladly sssign a ssstatement that I renounce my place in the sssuccesssion. I have no interessst in ever being king of thisss cursssed place."

"I know, my dear, but you _are_ my eldest son. I intend to see you properly married, in keeping with your station as such," Queen Laufey said seriously. "You and your intended deserve no less."

"I'm sssure you can make it happen easssily. I trussst your organizational ssskillsss, Mother," Loki countered wearily, already tired of having to play court games for the sake of his beloved mother. 

"And you, Thor? Do you wish to be married so quickly as well?" the queen asked sorrowfully.

Thor bowed respectfully, hating to hurt Loki's mother further. "My queen, this is a very busy time on our farm. My brother needs me to return as soon as possible to get the men started working in the fields. If we could be married within the week, it would be most helpful."

Queen Laufey sighed sadly. "Ah, well. So be it, then. The king and I will discuss the details of the prince's titles and dowry this evening, and Eirik will present them to you in the morning for your perusal. Now, will you stay for dinner? The roast boar is exceptional tonight."

"You can't be serious, woman," Farbauti growled, not taking his eyes off of Loki. "How can you even countenance this… this… madness?"

Laufey sipped delicately from her goblet. "Come, husband, you know as well as I do that, by the laws of your own kingdom, Bylestir cannot marry unless Loki weds first. For months, you sought a suitor for our eldest son; well, Thor is willing, and Loki has accepted his suit. You should be thankful that a solution has presented itself so easily," she chided, her soft, musical voice carrying easily in the silent hall.

"But… but…," Farbauti spluttered. "How can they even…? I mean … what about the wedding night?"

The queen shrugged a pale shoulder dismissively. "Does it really matter? There are many stranger marriages right here in your own court, my husband. I'm sure the two of them will work things out in their own way, just as we have. Now, Eirik, I should like your counsel after dinner on a few matters for the wedding, if you don't mind. Volstagg, you can go ahead and escort my son and his betrothed back to his chamber for the time being, unless the two of you wish to stay and dine with me." 

Loki shook his head minutely, wanting only to escape the hall and the filthy whispers of the courtiers. Thor bowed deeply to the queen again, and Loki let his mother lay her hands on his snout and bless him before they turned to leave. Looking out over the hall, Loki was horrified by the looks on the faces of his father's courtiers. Most of them were looking at him and Thor with obvious disgust, no doubt imagining any number of vulgar scenarios that they thought Thor might be forced into by their monstrous prince... or vice versa. Others had a different but equally distressing look on their faces, the look of wanting to somehow be a _part_ of those wicked fantasies, and it sickened Loki to see how both groups leered at Thor, both men and women alike. He gripped Thor's arm tightly as they walked back down the main aisle, leaving rumors and innuendos swirling behind them in their wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering... yes, the description of Farbauti may bear a passing resemblance to King Henry VIII in both his physical appearance and how he treated Catherine of Aragon at the end of their marriage.


	19. Safe Word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which fantasies are explored, kinks are negotiated, and Thor learns about the 16 different kinds of forks at a formal dinner!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Rimming, tail as sex toy, double penetration, bulge kink, breeding kink, come eating, rough sex
> 
> SMUT!! and fluff
> 
> Thanks to TheAngryKimchi and Johniarty for their horny suggestions😏

Loki managed to hold it together until he and Thor had rounded the corner that took them out of the main corridor. Without warning, he shot off, slithering away much faster than Thor expected. Cursing to himself, Thor sprinted after him, hoping the prince wouldn't accidentally hurt himself or anyone else in his headlong flight from the Great Hall; thankfully, the back corridors were practically empty as they barreled through on their way back to Loki's chambers. He caught up to Loki as he navigated a tight turn and grabbed at the lindworm's arm, jumping back quickly as Loki hissed and snapped at him blindly.

"Stop that, Loki! It's me," Thor shouted as the prince's sharp teeth barely missed closing on his arm. 

Loki stared at him for a moment, his eyes wild, before he growled, "Get on," and used his snout to nudge Thor roughly towards his quivering body.

Giving in to Loki's raw emotions, Thor threw his leg over Loki's back as if he was riding a horse, pulling his knees up high so his feet wouldn't drag on the floor. Loki took off again, and Thor grabbed frantically at Loki's torso to keep from falling off. He clung tightly to the prince as they darted through the unfamiliar hallways, Loki's sensitive nostrils and tongue scenting their way back to his room.

Finally, they reached the safety of Loki's chamber, making sure to bolt the door after them when they saw that Volstagg hadn't yet made it back to his post.

As he tried to catch his breath, Loki laid his head wearily on Thor's shoulder, shaking in relief at being away from his father and the nastiness of the assembled courtiers. "Thank you for ssstanding up for me, Thor. I'm ssso glad we have my father'sss permissssion to wed."

"You're welcome, my love, though it seems to me you stood up for yourself quite well, Loki! But it's good that you and your mother convinced him to agree to our marriage, because I really didn't want to have to steal you away. You'd be awfully difficult to hide, you know," Thor laughed, stroking the lindworm's back to calm him down. "Come on, let's take off all of this foolishness and relax for a while."

Thor helped Loki remove his cloak and bracelets first and laid them off to the side. Then he had Loki bow his head so he could figure out how Eirik had attached the headpiece to Loki's horns so he could remove that for him as well. Once it was removed, Loki shook his head like a dog shaking water out of its fur, trying to rid himself of the feeling of the chains dangling against his scales. Thor unclasped his cloak and laid it with Loki's, followed by the belt of silver discs. The dark grey velvet tunic was tugged off gently and set neatly on top. Thor went to pull off the leggings when Loki spoke up.

"Thessse trousssersss… they look.."

"Ridiculous, right?" supplied Thor, putting his hands on his hips.

Loki carefully ran his clawed hands across the soft fabric clinging to Thor's thighs, causing Thor to shiver with anticipation. "I admit, I wasss having many thoughtsss about thesssse garments. Sssome were about how well they sssuit your body, my husssband-to-be."

Thor blushed, feeling absurdly flattered. "And the other thoughts?" he asked shyly.

Loki grinned toothily. "The othersss were about how desssirable you would look without them here in my pool."

Thor stared at him for a moment, his pulse hammering in his throat, then he stepped out of the embroidered leather shoes Eirik had brought for him and slowly peeled down the tight leggings, leaving his body exposed to Loki's hungry gaze. He stepped eagerly into Loki's embrace, enjoying the feel of the lindworm's scales against his naked skin.

"How shall I please you, my prince, my lover, my husband-to-be?" Thor asked, stroking Loki's smooth, warm scales with his strong hands. 

"That isss an excellent quessstion, my love," hissed Loki thoughtfully, glancing towards the steaming pool. "Let'sss sssee…" He suddenly lifted Thor up in his strong arms, making him gasp and wrap his bare legs around Loki's middle to keep from falling as Loki propelled himself into the water with a mighty splash. 

Thor laughed heartily as he surfaced and flipped his wet hair out of his eyes. He started moving towards the steps where there was room for him and Loki to sit together. "There's a big pool on the farm that you could do such foolishness in, if you wanted. It's even got a lovely waterfall to stand under if you don't mind cold water."

"That sssoundsss delightful, Thor. I can't wait to see it with my own eyesss," said Loki. "But right now, sssomething elssse hasss my undivided attention." He stalked towards Thor, who pretended to back up in terror from his predatory approach. He felt the low, broad stairs of the pool against the back of his calves, so he flopped backwards, spreading his arms and legs out wide as if he had fallen, making sure that his body was out of the water for Loki to touch and taste easily.

Loki leaned over him ominously, planting his clawed hands on either side of Thor's hips. "I mussst admit, I had never truly underssstood jealousssy until I sssaw the court ladiesss ssstaring at you asss if you were sssomething they would like to eat."

Thor tilted his head, exposing his vulnerable throat to the lindworm. "Let them look, my prince. Only _you_ may see me like _this_ ," he purred, running his hand down his bare, wet chest. He slid his hand lower and stroked his thickening cock. "Only _you_ may touch me like _this_ ," he sighed, as Loki's flickering tongue followed the path that his hand had traced, lapping briefly at the head of his cock. Thor groaned as Loki's tongue slowly slipped lower, teasing its way between the cheeks of his arse and licking daintily at his hole.

"What would they sssay, thossse fine ladiesss, if they could sssee you right now, ssspread open for me like thisss?" Loki hissed, his tongue slipping just inside of Thor's entrance, making his lover gasp and spread his legs wider. 

"Some would be disgusted at my depravity, to be sure," he said breathlessly, as Loki pressed in deeper. "But more than a few might find themselves wishing that their lovers possessed such a skillful tongue." He arched his back as Loki found the center of his pleasure and flicked it rapidly. He closed his eyes in ecstasy as Loki worked his tongue relentlessly, bringing him closer and closer to the edge. "Oh… ooohhhh... I'm so close Loki...don't stop...don't stop," he babbled, his hands gripping the edge of the stairs frantically as his balls tightened. He _felt_ Loki's growl vibrate inside of him as the prince's tongue flicked _just so,_ and he came hard, his thighs trembling around Loki's head as his cock pulsed and painted his chest and belly with his seed. The lindworm slowly slipped his tongue out of Thor and began licking up the streaks of come while Thor lay there limply, trying to catch his breath. 

"Mmmmm, that wasss lovely, Thor. Perhapsss when we are wed, I ssshall have you like thisss every day," Loki purred, stroking his skin gently with his clawed hands. 

Thor grinned lazily. "I personally would enjoy that very much, but Balder would be very upset with me if I spent all day in bed with you instead of helping him with the chores."

Loki chuckled at that, nudging Thor's stomach with his snout and making him laugh too. "Never fear, I am very ssstrong, and I ssshall learn waysss to help you at your tasksss." He grinned wickedly at Thor. "Then we ssshall have more time for ssstaying in bed."

Thor glanced down and, as he expected, Loki's cocks had slipped from their hidden sheath and were laying against his scales, hard and ready. He reached down and ran his thumb across the head of the nearest one, making Loki growl as he spread the slickness he found there across the sensitive skin. "What would you like to do, Loki? I fear I wasn't a very attentive lover this morning."

"Don't be ssssilly, Thor. You were not well, and…"

"But I feel much better now, my love. How shall I please you?" Thor interrupted, wrapping his hand around the cock he had been teasing and giving it a gentle squeeze that made the prince hiss with pleasure.

"To be honessst, I've imagined being inssside of you almossst every day sssince you left," Loki admitted, running a gentle claw along Thor's thigh, careful not to scrape the soft skin. "Sssometimesss with both cocksss at once."

Thor raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What? How? I didn't think that was possible. Can you bring them both together?"

"Yesss," Loki said proudly. He used both of his clawed hands to carefully press his two cocks together until they touched. "Like thisss. I figured it out after you left lassst fall."

Thor stared for a moment in awe at his lover, wondering how he could make Loki's fantasy a reality. He tried to wrap his big hand around Loki's cocks, but even his long fingers could barely span them both. He looked at Loki curiously. "So, in these dreams of yours, how did you get me ready to take both of these? I don't think just my fingers would be enough."

Loki ducked his head in embarrassment. "I… I…"

Thor squeezed his cocks again, making Loki hiss again. "Tell me what you did. If I think it will work, we can try it."

"I… used my tail," Loki mumbled, not looking at Thor. He didn't want to see if Thor thought he was disgusting for imagining doing such a thing.

"Hmmm… Here, let me see it," Thor commanded, holding out his free hand.

Loki obeyed, still not daring to meet Thor's eyes. Thor took the end of his tail gently in his hand and studied it. At the very tip, it was perhaps a bit less than the thickness of one of Loki's cocks, blunt and rounded with smooth tiny scales. Thor stroked it firmly, testing how it felt against his skin. It slipped smoothly through his fingers, sleek and warm, and Thor slid his hand up further, testing its thickness against the feeling of the cocks he held in his other hand. "It might actually work, but we won't know unless we give it a try."

Loki raised his head and stared at him in amazement. "You would do thisss for me, Thor? Are you sssure?" He felt overwhelmed that Thor would go to such lengths to please him, knowing that the members of his father's court would find such an act unspeakably perverted and bestial.

Thor smiled and let go of the prince's tail so he could stroke Loki's quivering snout. "We can try it, if you'd like. If it doesn't work out, I'm sure we can figure out something else that you'd enjoy."

"Ssso, how do you think we ssshould ssstart?" Loki asked, enjoying the feeling of Thor caressing both of his cocks at once. 

"Hmmm… first, I think I'll use my fingers, then we'll see if your idea about your tail works or not. After that, well, we'll figure it out."

"Ssshall I fetch you sssome oil? I told Eirik I wasss usssing it for dry ssscalesss, and he'sss kept me well sssupplied."

"Yes, please," Thor said with a grin. Loki handed him a familiar looking jug, and Thor poured some of the contents over his fingers. Loki lounged on the steps, trying to look casual as Thor carefully stretched himself as much as he could with his strong, thick fingers, but inside he was terribly nervous. 

_Perhapsss we ssshould have a way for him to tell me to ssstop if it hurtsss or he doesssn't like it_ , Loki mused. _I'd never forgive myssself if I injured him while ssseeking my pleasssure._ He jumped as Thor tapped him on the arm, dragging him from his thoughts.

"Is everything all right, Loki? You seemed so far away there," Thor said, lines of worry creasing his forehead as he stroked Loki's scales.

"I wasss thinking that we ssshould have a sssignal for you to ussse, jussst in cassse," Loki began nervously. 

"In case...?" Thor asked patiently.

"In cassse it'sss not good, or maybe hurtsss you too much," Loki explained in embarrassment.

"That's not a bad idea," Thor mused, pleased at Loki's thoughtfulness. "What do you suggest?"

"I don't know… it ssshould be sssomething that we wouldn't ordinarily sssay while mating. Otherwissse, it would be too confusssing," Loki pointed out.

Thor snickered rudely. "How about 'Farbauti'? I can't think of any possible reason I'd want to say your father's name with your cocks inside of me!"

Loki giggled at Thor's boldness. "I ssshould certainly hope not! If you sssay hisss name while we're… I doubt I ssshould be able to continue!"

"'Farbauti' it is, then," Thor said wickedly, letting go of his cocks, laying back on the broad marble steps, and spreading his legs wide, displaying his slick, stretched hole to the prince. "I'm ready when you are, my love."

Loki took the end of his tail and doused it with oil. He paused for a moment, heart thumping wildly in his chest. He instinctively knew this was not like their other clandestine couplings. If he did this thing to Thor, it would tarnish his lover forever in the eyes of the court if it was ever found out. "Are you sssure, Thor?" he whispered nervously, trembling with both fear and desire. 

"Have I said 'Farbauti'?" Thor countered. "Go on, Loki. I want to be able to feel both of your cocks inside of me. You know what you need to do if you want it too. I'm not afraid of what people will say about us."

Loki took a deep breath and put the tip of his tail against Thor's loosened opening. It slipped in easily at first, barely rubbing against the sensitive skin. As he pressed in deeper, Thor made a startled sound. Loki froze, and Thor patted his side comfortingly. 

"Doesss it hurt?" Loki asked anxiously, pulling back slightly.

"No, love, it's not hurting me, it's just that I'm not used to the texture of your scales," Thor replied. "It feels _different_ , but not in a bad way. Keep going, Loki. I promise I'll let you know if I want you to stop," Thor said firmly as he made himself more comfortable on the steps.

Loki gripped his tail more firmly and started to thrust it into Thor's hole. Slowly, gently, his tail pressed into Thor's willing body, and he watched mesmerized as his oiled scales disappeared deeper and deeper into his lover, stretching him open to be fucked. As he carefully worked Thor open bit by bit, Loki's mating instincts were clamoring fiercely for him to stop using his tail and simply fill Thor up with his cocks until he was dripping with his seed, but he was determined to reward his lover for yielding to his desires. Although his scales were much less sensitive than his tongue, he quickly found the spot that he knew brought Thor pleasure and let the blunt end of his tail rub teasingly against it. Thor groaned at the stimulation, his spent cock twitching in interest on his belly. Loki kept up the pressure, grinding relentlessly against the little bundle of nerves, and Thor rocked his hips, seeking more friction as he felt arousal growing swiftly within him once more. The texture of the prince's scales against his rim was now a sweet torment, making Thor bite his hand to keep from crying out as Loki stretched him open farther than he ever had before. Without warning, he felt a second orgasm start to blossom throughout his body, making him clench tight around Loki's tail.

"Oh, Gods, that feels good, Loki. Give me more," Thor begged, reaching down to stroke his aching cock to milk himself for every drop of come. Loki responded by pushing his tail in even further, growling as he realized that as deep as he was now, he would be able to easily fit both of his cocks into his lover. He pulled back, then thrust his tail in firmly again, wringing a long, drawn out moan from his lover's lips and a final spurt of come from Thor's cock. He gave his tail a quick twist, deliberately rubbing his scales against Thor's stretched hole, and Thor's head dropped back against the stairs as he writhed in ecstasy at the sensation of being filled by Loki's tail. 

"Doesss that pleassse you Thor? Ssshall I keep going like thisss or ssshall I ussse my cocksss now?" he hissed, continuing to work his tail in and out of Thor's fluttering hole.

"I… ohhhh… give me your cocks, Loki. _Please…._ " he gasped.

Loki eased his tail out and carefully poured oil over both of his cocks. Pressing them tightly together, he put the heads of his cocks against Thor's loosened rim and pushed his way in gently. Thor shuddered as Loki filled him smoothly until he bottomed out, scales pressed tightly against Thor's skin. 

"Ssstill all right, love?" the lindworm asked anxiously, scanning his lover's face for any signs or distress. 

Thor nodded, his legs coming up to wrap around Loki's middle again. The prince gripped Thor's hips and undulated slowly, his coils braced against the far side of the pool. Thor moaned softly as both of Loki's cocks filled him deeply, the two heads jostling against the center of his pleasure and making him see stars. The extra stretching of his rim wasn't too painful, thanks to Loki's tail, but it was definitely unlike anything Thor had ever experienced before. As Loki filled him again and again with deliberate, teasing slowness, Thor reached down between his legs and started caressing himself, feeling his cock stirring yet again under his firm strokes. He slid his hand lower for a moment to tease at his balls, fondling the sensitive skin with knowing fingers before moving back up to take his cock in hand. As he resumed stroking himself, Loki shifted his position slightly, and Thor felt something unexpectedly prodding at his forearm from below. Curious, he lifted his arm up and craned his neck so he could see what exactly was going on down there. 

" _Ohhhh,"_ he gasped, biting his lower lip hard. Just that slight change in position made it so that each slow, deep thrust of Loki's was creating a very noticeable bulge in his normally flat belly. Thor put both hands on his stomach, awestruck at the shape and size of the bulge showing through his skin.

"Look at me, Loki. Oh Gods, I'm so full of your cocks," he marveled, pressing down on his skin to make the bulge more prominent. The sight of his distended stomach suddenly reminded him of the time that Loki had asked him to fuck his sheath where his cocks were normally hidden. Thor moaned, closing his eyes and remembering how good the prince's tight slit had felt around him and how much his scales had stretched to accommodate the thickness of Thor's cock within him. He hoped it had felt as good for Loki then as it felt for himself right now, being stuffed so full of cock that he was literally bulging with it. He opened his eyes and looked up at the prince, who was now gazing intently at his belly, raptly watching how the slow, steady movements of his cocks rippled seductively under Thor's tanned skin.

"I wisssh there wasss a way I could truly breed you, Thor. I'd fill you with my ssseed over and over until you ssstayed ssstretched like thisss and full of my offssspring," the lindworm growled, pressing his scaled palm firmly into the bulge so he could feel the shape of his cocks through Thor's skin. 

Thor shivered at the possessive tone of Loki's voice as the prince continued to fuck him slowly, hissing how beautiful Thor would look with his stomach swollen with Loki's get. Though he knew it was impossible, Thor found himself wishing Loki's improbable fantasy could somehow come to pass, for he truly loved children and was looking forward to becoming an uncle with great joy. _Would our children be human or lindworm?_ he wondered distractedly as Loki kept up his torturously slow pace. _Or perhaps a mix of both?_ Thor smiled tenderly, imagining a little one with his face and torso and Loki's sinuous tail curled up asleep in his arms. His paternal reverie was shattered abruptly when Loki curled his supple neck around and teased at the slit of his cock with his agile tongue, making Thor gasp and clench around him. They both moaned at the sensation, and Loki gripped Thor's hips tighter, careful not to break the skin with his claws. 

'Oh, Thor," the prince groaned brokenly, thrusting slowly into his lover. "It'sss ssso good, my love. I don't think I'll lassst very much longer."

Seized by a wicked whim, Thor slyly slid his hand down past his balls, first running his fingers lightly around his stretched rim and then along the valley created by both of Loki's cocks being squeezed tightly together inside of him. He smirked as Loki's whole body shuddered from nose to tail at his unexpected intimate touch.

"Naughty little teassse," Loki growled, grabbing his hands and pinning them down on the stairs. "Do you wisssh to be punissshed?" He pushed his body roughly against Thor's, making him cry out with pleasure as the two cocks penetrated him deeply. Loki stopped immediately, not sure if he'd accidentally hurt his lover, and Thor shook his head in frustration.

"No, just _fucked_ , Loki! Stop coddling me, I'm not going to break. I know what to say if I want you to stop," Thor scolded him, rocking his arse roughly against Loki's scales and making the lindworm growl fiercely.

"You ssseriousssly demand thisss of me, Thor?? Don't blame me if you're sssore tomorrow, then," Loki snarled, letting go of Thor's wrists momentarily so he could grab Thor's legs and sling them over his shoulders. Then he leaned back in to capture his lover's wrists again before he began pounding into him in earnest, using more of his strength than he had ever dared use before to fuck Thor hard and fast. Thor squirmed and moaned under him, trying to get friction against his throbbing cock, but with his wrists trapped, there was little he could do but beg Loki for his release. Loki narrowed his eyes and concentrated on hitting that special spot inside of him over and over again until Thor suddenly cried out, his own cock jerking and spurting come onto his belly for the third time. The sight and scent of Thor's seed sent Loki over the edge, his howl of pleasure echoing in Thor's mind as both of his cocks reached their peaks simultaneously, filling Thor up with his seed. Thor shuddered at the feeling of both cocks spurting within him at once, his mind seizing once more on Loki's fantasy of breeding him, imagining himself swollen and heavy with the prince's child. _If only..._ he thought deliriously as his lover heaved and panted between his thighs until his release was complete 

They lay there entangled on the stairs for several minutes, catching their breath and allowing their heartbeats to return to normal. Finally Loki eased back, and Thor gasped as the prince slowly pulled his cocks out, feeling Loki's hot seed oozing out from his well-fucked hole. He found himself wishing he had a way to keep it inside him, but he didn't know what he could possibly use for that purpose. Unexpectedly embarrassed by his thoughts, he started to close his legs so he could sit up, but Loki put his hands on Thor's knees and spread them wider, studying Thor's messy hole, stretched wide from taking both of his cocks and dripping with come. "You look ssso lovely with my ssseed between your legsss, my love. It ssseemsss a ssshame to jussst let it wasssh away." Thor blushed, wondering if the lindworm had somehow caught wind of his thoughts, but Loki simply lowered his head between Thor's quivering thighs and lapped up as much of his seed as he could. Finally satisfied, the lindworm released his grip and let Thor stretch his aching limbs

"Well, if we ever do that again, it definitely won't be on the stairs," Thor groaned, trying to ease his abused muscles. For just a split second, he wished Loki's hands weren't clawed so he could beg a massage from his lover, but he pushed that thought aside almost as quickly as it came to him. Loki couldn't help having clawed hands, and, anyway, it hurt nowhere near as much as the time his father had whipped him, so he knew he'd be fine in a day or two.

"Oh no, are you hurt? Ssshow me," Loki demanded, so Thor turned on his side to let Loki take a look. "I'm ssso sssorry!" Loki gasped, looking at the red marks where Thor's back and shoulders had scraped against the stairs. "I ssshouldn't have been ssso rough with you. Pleassse forgive me," he whimpered, hanging his head in distress. 

"Did I ask you to stop? Did I use our signal?" Thor asked gently. "If I didn't, then there's no reason for you to apologize. You gave me exactly what I asked you for." 

"Ssstill, I don't like being the caussse of your dissscomfort. Come sssoak a bit with me. We'll sssee if the water will help sssoothe your hurtsss," Loki coaxed, holding out his arms to his lover.

Thor slid deeper into the water and curled up against Loki, letting the hot water slowly ease some of his body's aches. As he idly stroked Loki's scales, a thought occurred to him. "Can I ask you a question?" he said, twining his calloused fingers with Loki's clawed ones.

Loki bumped him gently with his snout. "Of courssse, what isss it, Thor?"

"When you were so angry at your father in the hall, how come everyone could hear you? I thought you could only speak to one person at a time because of the blood magic and all."

Loki pondered his lover's question. "I'm not really sssure how it happened, to be honessst, though I _am_ related by blood to mossst of the noblesss in one way or another, you underssstand. Sssome are related to me through legitimate marriage, of courssse, but my grandfather and hisss father before him ssseemed to have trouble ssstaying in their own bedsss, if you know what I mean. Many children were born yearsss ago whossse fathersss were very much in quessstion, but it wasss held to be an honor if the king sssought a woman'sss favor, even if ssshe wasss already married. I sssussspect my own father hasssn't ssspread hisss ssseed around asss much, ssso he wouldn't create another monssster like me," Loki said bitterly. "Alssso, before I knew you, my mother sssometimesss brought sssome of the noblesss' children down to play with me, which wasss a disssassster. I bit mosst of them becaussse they were unkind to me, ssso technically I've tasssted their blood. Perhapsss that made it ssso they could underssstand me tonight."

"Well, regardless of the reason, you were magnificent! Very much the spoiled prince demanding that he should get his own way," Thor chuckled, kissing Loki's knuckles. "I'm sorry we're making things harder for your mother, though. She deserves much better than she gets from your father."

Loki sighed, pushing his nose under Thor's arm for comfort. "I never realized how badly ssshe wasss treated by my father until I wissshed to marry you. I hadn't talked to him in many, many yearsss, but when Eirik told me about Bylessstir'sss desssire to marry and my rightsss asss the eldessst ssson, I asssked to ssspeak with him about marriage too. He wasss horrified to dissscover that I had the right to demand a ssspoussse before my brother could wed and tried everything he could to dissscourage me. Sssome of the ladiesss he picked asss posssible matesss were… mossst unsssuitable. Once he realized I wasss not interesssted in women, hisss choicesss were even worssse. That'sss when I had Eirik sssend hisss messsage, hoping you would come for me even if your father wasss ssstill alive."

"And here I am, love," Thor replied. "Your mother seems very kind and reminds me of my mother quite a bit with her love of plants. She's always welcome to visit us at the farm, though it won't be as luxurious as living in a palace full of servants."

"Ssshe would probably accept your offer gladly. My mother lovesss plantsss and growing thingsss very much." Loki gestured at the greenery that surrounded the pool. "Everything that growsss in here isss a gift from her, of courssse. When I wasss young, ssshe would tell me ssstoriesss about her homeland. Apparently, it isss very fruitful there all year round, and it wasss hard for her to adjussst to having ssseasssonsss where it isss too cold and nothing growsss." 

"I guess living inside your chamber your whole life, you've never experienced the seasons before either. We should probably go outside a few times before we leave for New Asgard so it's not so unfamiliar to you- sights, sounds, smells, weather, and so forth," Thor mused.

"That sssoundsss nice," sighed Loki, worn out from their amorous exertions. "But perhapsss we could try it tomorrow."

"Of course, my love. I suppose I should get dressed before anyone comes looking for us," Thor murmured, letting go of Loki's hand so he could squeeze the water out of his long blond hair. "You know, I think I have some healing salve in my pack. Maybe you could put some on my back before I get dressed. It might spare me a few bruises tomorrow."

"Asss you wisssh," purred Loki, ogling Thor's bare body as he climbed out of the pool. "Ssshall I put it anywhere elssse besssidesss your back?"

Blushing, Thor dug around in his pack, pulling out a small leather satchel. He grabbed a jar and brought it back to the pool where Loki was waiting. When he took off the lid, a pungent herbal scent filled the air and Loki sniffed appreciatively. 

"It sssmellss very nice. Sssit here, and I ssshall put it on your back," the prince said, patting the edge of the pool. Thor handed him the jar and sat with his back to the water so Loki had easy access to his skin.

Thor let out a gusty sigh as Loki spread the cooling herbs over his sore skin, gently rubbing it in with his knuckles. "Mmmm, that feels wonderful, my love. Don't stop," he whimpered as the lindworm's hand left his back momentarily, only to return with another dollop of the healing salve. Thor couldn't help the soft moans that slipped from his lips unbidden as Loki worked the salve into his muscles, kneading it in gently but thoroughly until he had covered Thor's entire back.

"Doesss that feel better?" asked Loki, rinsing his hands in the pool.

"Oh Gods, yes," replied Thor gratefully, stretching his arms above his head. He turned around and dangled his feet in the pool, laughing as Loki tickled the sensitive soles with his snout.

"Go on, get dresssed," Loki hissed, nipping at his toes. "I ssshall wait for you by the fire, my love." He scrambled up over the edge of the pool and slithered over to his favorite spot on the hearth, leaving a trail of water behind him.

Shaking his head fondly, Thor climbed out of the pool and found the clothes he had worn earlier sitting neatly folded on top of his pack. He debated a moment before retrieving the jar of healing salve and scooping out some to rub carefully between his legs before getting dressed. It felt good to be dressed in his own, familiar, comfortable, _decent_ clothing, and, if it weren't for the emptiness of his stomach, he'd be tempted to curl back up next to Loki on his cushions and sleep straight through the night.

Before he could even ask Loki about ringing for some food, a loud knock reverberated through the chamber. Thor looked over at Loki, who nodded for him to go ahead and unbolt the door. As he half expected, Eirik was there with several wide eyed servants clustered behind him laden with several trays of food and drink. The old servant raised his eyebrows at Thor's change of clothes, but made no comment as he directed the other servants to bring in their burdens. One young boy struggled to carry in a heavy folding table, and Thor unthinkingly went to help him, grimacing as the weight of it pulled at his sore muscles.

"Is everything all right, Thor?" Eirik asked innocently. "Have you injured yourself?"

"No, no, I'm fine. Just still a bit tired from my travels," Thor replied quickly, silently cursing his fair skin and hoping he wasn't blushing. He helped set up the table near the fireplace so the other servants could put down their trays and curtsey to him and the prince before scurrying out of the room. Eirik took pity on him and dragged over two heavy chairs which usually sat unused against the wall. 

Eirik cleared his throat, knowing his next words would not be joyfully received by either of the two young lovers. "Before you eat, I need to make something clear to you both. Thor, I know you are not familiar with our royal traditions involving marriage, so Her Majesty wished me to inform you that the two of you may not be together unchaperoned now that you are formally betrothed. Either myself or Volstagg must be present if you wish to spend time with each other."

Loki was predictably outraged. "Are you ssseriousss, Eirik? How foolisssh!! It'sss not asss if we could sssomehow get each other with child if we…" He broke off in embarrassment as Eirik stared at him sternly. 

"It is _tradition_ , Prince Loki, and, if you wish your marriage to Thor to be recognized as valid and legitimate, you must follow the proper protocols of a royal marriage. Otherwise, it can be contested by members of the king's council, and Thor could be imprisoned- or worse- for defiling a member of the royal family. I'm sure you wouldn't want _that_ to happen, Loki," Eirik said emphatically. "It's bad enough that Her Majesty needed to speak with me about your wedding, leaving you with… less than adequate supervision this evening. I have since explained to Volstagg what needs to be done here, and I assure you, he is a man who takes his duty seriously. Think of it this way: if you two sneak off alone together, you won't be the only ones who end up being punished for it. Both Volstagg and I will suffer some unpleasant consequences for your behavior, so I hope you'll both endeavor to follow the rules, even if you find them foolish."

"Don't worry, Eirik, we'll do as you ask. Did Her Majesty decide on a date for our wedding?" Thor asked respectfully, not wanting to antagonize Eirik and get thrown out of Loki's chamber entirely.

"Six days hence on Fredagh. I regret your brother won't be able to be here, obviously, but perhaps you can send him a message about your nuptials," said Eirik. "In the meantime, there's much to be done before the wedding. I know Her Majesty will want to have her tailor measure you both for your wedding clothes. There will also be vows for you both to memorize as well as a walk-through of the ceremony itself. Just because it will take place in the palace chapel doesn't mean it will be small or private either. Many eyes will be on you both, and most of them won't be friendly. We need this to go as smoothly as possible for all of our sakes."

Loki hung his head in dismay. "Why mussst thisss all be ssso difficult?" he whined.

"The price of being a prince, I'm afraid," Eirik replied, patting Loki on the shoulder. "Come, sit and have some dinner with Thor, my prince. Hilda made a very nice haunch of beef for you when she heard you were getting married."

Loki tried not to show it, but he was very excited. Hilda always cooked his favorite meals just right, and this was the one he loved best- next to anything made out of Thor's juicy pigs. He wriggled happily up to the table only to wrinkle his nose in disgust at the sight of all the silverware. "Mussst we do thisss tonight, Eirik? You know how much I hate thisss."

"Just the basics for now," Eirik said cheerfully, gesturing for Thor to sit in the chair next to where Loki had coiled up sullenly at the table while he took the remaining seat himself. As they ate, Eirik pointed out the various types of knives, forks, and spoons and when to use them during a meal to Thor, who shot Loki a panicked look. Loki rolled his eyes in annoyance at Eirik, but used his specially designed silverware to carefully eat the nearly rare meat that Hilda had prepared for him.

"Don't worry, Eirik. I'll sssee to it that Thor doesssn't disssgrace you by using the wrong fork at our wedding dinner," the lindworm grumbled. "I may not be able to ussse them all myssself, but I know _when_ to ussse them. You've drummed that all into my head sssince I wasss sssmall. Besssidesss, if he doesssn't eat much at dinner for fear of using the wrong sssilverware, we can alwaysss have a tray sssent up later, right Thor? Thor.. Thor… why are you ssstaring at me like that?"

"I'm curious about something, Loki," Thor admitted. "Forgive me if I'm being rude, but… what happened to the pigs that I would bring you for the tithe? Did you kill them yourself and eat them raw, or did they get taken away to the kitchen to be specially prepared?"

"I would usssually take care of them myssself, but I do know how ussse cutlery too. Like I sssaid, Eirik hasss been teaching me to eat like thisss for yearsss. He even desssigned ssspecial piecesss for me that are easssier to ussse with my clawsss, like my writing pensss. I jussst enjoy hunting my own food sssometimesss. Doesss that bother you?" the lindworm asked hesitantly. 

"No, of course not! I like to go hunting too. There's lots of wild game in the forest we can hunt together. I can probably even show you how to rig some simple snares, if you're interested," exclaimed Thor enthusiastically.

"Sssoon," sighed Loki, glaring at the offending utensils. "I can't wait to sssee how life isss on your farm. Sssurely there no one will care which fork I ussse."

"Not at all," laughed Thor, winking at his betrothed. "As soon as we make it through the wedding, I'll teach you all about life on a farm."

Loki's sharp eyes caught the flash of sadness that passed quickly across Eirik's face. He patted his servant's hand gently. "And you ssshall come visit usss and sssee what a good farmer I ssshall be, whenever my mother can spare you. Isssn't that right, Thor?"

"Of course Eirik is always welcome, and Volstagg too," Thor reassured him. "And your mother, if you think the king could spare her as well," he said dryly. 

Eirik coughed delicately. "It would be… unlikely… for the queen to make a personal visit, at least for now; however, she has asked Volstagg and me to accompany the two of you back to New Asgard so she can be assured that Loki is settling in well in his new home. A troop of royal guards will ride with us to safeguard both the prince and his dowry."

"I beg your pardon? That won't be necessary, Eirik. I already told the king I'm not marrying Loki for money," Thor rumbled angrily, clenching his napkin in his fist.

"Hush, Thor. The dowry is coming directly from the queen herself, and you'd be both foolish and ungrateful to refuse. If you need to make changes to your house to adequately accommodate Prince Loki, the queen intends to ensure that you have the means to do so without it being a burden on your people," Eirik countered smoothly.

Thor pushed his chair back abruptly, tossing his crumpled napkin on the table and stalking over to the fireplace. He gripped the mantelpiece and stared wordlessly into the leaping flames, mentally cursing the queen's perceptiveness. There _would_ need to be changes made to the farmhouse to allow Loki to move around easily inside, which wouldn't come cheaply. Plus there was the baby coming… He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, feeling trapped by the queen's generosity. A gentle touch on his elbow startled him out of his bitter thoughts, and he turned to look into Loki's sad eyes. 

"Why do you ssscorn my mother'sss gift? Ssshe only wantsss to make sssure that I am not a burden to you in cassse I can't find a way to be ussseful on the farm.

"Oh Loki, you'd never be a burden to me, no matter what," Thor promised, cradling the lindworm's head tenderly in his big hands. 

"Be honessst, Thor. If you were marrying sssome woman inssstead of me, ssshe would bring a dowry with her, isssn't that true?'

"Well yes, but…"

"Ssso my mother ssshould be able to provide one for me without all thisss fusss," Loki pointed out sensibly. "Let her give usss thisss ssso we can ssstart our lives together more easssily. _Pleassse_ "

Thor stood there for a moment, wondering why he was resisting the queen's gift so strongly. _Foolish pride,_ he thought sourly. _Father would be so proud of my stubbornness_. "Very well, I'll do as you ask, Loki," he sighed, kissing Loki's forehead. The lindworm rose up and wrapped his arms around Thor in a powerful embrace. Thor hugged him back hard, and Eirik allowed them to stand entwined thusly for a few minutes before clearing his throat.

"If you're finished eating, Thor, we should allow the servants to come clean up so Prince Loki can get some rest. It will be a very busy six days, so…" His unruffled demeanor finally cracked at the identical looks of complete disgruntlement shot at him simultaneously by the two lovers. He started laughing, tears running down his cheeks while Thor and Loki looked on in disbelief. 

"Isss he all right?" Loki hissed worriedly. 

"Probably…" Thor replied, a hint of doubt coloring his voice.

Eirik wiped his cheeks, smiling in fond exasperation. "Oh, you two," he scolded teasingly. "My hair will be completely white by the time this wedding is over. Come Thor, tell the prince good night, and I'll take you to your room."

Thor dropped his forehead against Loki's shoulder. "Sleep well, my love, and sweet dreams. I'll see you in the morning."

Loki chuckled knowingly. "It will be sssweet indeed if I dream about you all ssspread out for me and I…"

Thor grabbed his snout and gave it a little shake. "Loki, hush," he hissed, ears burning with embarrassment. "I'll see you tomorrow. I love you, my silly snake." He gave him another soft peck on the snout before stepping back from his lover's embrace.

"I love you too, Thor. Sssleep well," Loki murmured, his arms already achingly empty without Thor's warmth.

"Come along, Thor. Let's let the servants do their job so Loki can sleep," said Eirik gently. 

"Of course, Eirik. Just let me grab my things." Thor walked over and grabbed his belongings, stuffing everything back in his pack and cinching it up tight. "Um, what about these clothes?" he asked, gesturing at the pile of items he and Loki had worn earlier. 

"Oh yes, I'll take those back to Her Majesty," Eirik replied, coming to collect the bundle from the side of the pool. "I know our ways may seem foolish to you, Thor, but please do as I ask, and don't let Loki convince you to try and sneak off alone together. I truly want to see the two of you happily married and Loki free of this place," Eirik said softly. 

"We'll behave," Thor promised, shouldering his pack. He followed Eirik to the door, blowing Loki a final kiss before he left.

The lindworm settled down by the fire, wondering if he would even be able to sleep. _In sssix days,I ssshall be married to Thor. It ssseemsss too good to be true._ He closed his eyes, feigning sleep as the servants quietly entered to take away the remains of their dinner. But the warmth of the fire and his full belly conspired against him, and his pretense of sleep gave way to the real thing, and his dreams were pleasant indeed.


	20. Picnic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor tries to help Loki acclimate to the world outside before their marriage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short fluffy chapter to start the new year!

Going outside for lunch was Thor's idea. He wanted Loki to experience some of the sights, sounds, and smells that he would potentially face on their journey to New Asgard, so he would be less likely to be afraid of any strange, new situations that he would encounter along the way. When the morning after that dreadful dinner dawned bright and clear, Thor dressed quickly and went straight to Loki's chamber. 

Volstagg greeted him warmly, following him inside Loki's chamber instead of staying at his usual post outside the door. Thor sighed to himself, but said nothing. The guardsman had his orders to chaperone them, and Thor knew he would not be easily deterred from his duty. Once inside Loki's chamber, Thor went and rang the bell for Eirik as Loki slowly dragged himself out of his nest of cushions. 

"Good morning, Thor. I'm sssurprisssed to sssee you here ssso early," Loki said, yawning widely and revealing his sharp teeth and forked tongue. "Isss sssomething wrong?"

Thor smiled fondly at his promised husband. "No, nothing's wrong, Loki. It's just a very lovely day outside, and I thought perhaps we might find somewhere to have a picnic for lunch."

"A picnic? What isss that?" Loki asked.

"It's a meal that you eat outside when the weather is good. Where would you suggest, Volstagg?"

The warrior pursued his lips thoughtfully. "There's a wee field near the stable that might suit what ye have in mind, but either Eirik or I must go along, ye ken."

"I know, I know," sighed Thor. "We can't be alone together until our wedding night."

"Indeed, that's correct," said Eirik as he came through the door. "What did you have planned for today, Thor?"

"I thought it would be a good day to take Loki out for a picnic and get him used to being outside. It will make our journey to New Asgard much easier if he's had some experience with weather, different temperatures, and things like that," Thor explained. "Volstagg said something about a small field near the stable. What do you think?"

Eirik nodded. "It's a good choice. We can get there easily from here, it's not a place where you'll be overwhelmed with gawkers, and there's a large oak tree that will give you some shade as well. I'll send orders to the stable to keep the horses out of that area and have them shovel up any large piles of dung, at least around the tree. I'm sure Hilda will be able to put together some suitable food for a picnic, " he said with a smile. "It sounds like you'll have a lovely afternoon. I'll go make the arrangements."

By the time their food was prepared and the small field was made ready for them, it was nearly lunchtime. Eirik arrived carrying a large covered basket that perfumed the air with delicious smells. Loki's nostrils twitched, recognizing the scent of Hilda's special meat pies. 

Thor grabbed a large, thick blanket from the pile near the fireplace and rolled it into a neat bundle that he tucked under his arm. "Let's go, Loki!" he exclaimed, excited to take his betrothed out to experience sunshine on his face for the first time. 

Volstagg closed the door and locked it behind them with a heavy iron key that he wore around his neck. "Keeps folks frae nosin' aboot in Himself's chambers when yer no' inside," he said when Thor raised a curious eyebrow at him. 

Eirik led the way down the corridor that eventually ended up in the stable yard. Thor was quite familiar with it from his years of visiting Loki, but the prince had never been that way before, so he looked around at everything curiously, his forked tongue tasting the air. 

"How ssstrange," he hissed. "I can sssmell many animalsss and people, but there'sss nothing here to sssee."

"That's a good observation, Your Highness," Eirik said approvingly. "I thought it best to have the area cleared while we pass through. I thought that some of the horses might react strongly to your scent."

"Hmmmm, maybe I should work on getting our horses used to Loki's scent so we won't have difficulties with that on our journey home," mused Thor. "But we can do that another day, perhaps. For now, I'd just like to relax and have a nice lunch."

As they stepped out of the corridor and into the sunlit stable yard, Loki squinted, his eyes unused to bright sunlight. "Isss it alwaysss like thisss outssside? It hurtsss my eyesss, Thor," he complained.

"Not always, Loki. It depends a lot on the weather. Today, it's very sunny, of course, but sometimes it's cloudy, or rainy, or snowy. At night, it can be very dark, depending on the weather and the phase of the moon." He took off his cloak and draped it over Loki's horns to help block the worst of the sun from his sensitive eyes. "There. Now, let's hurry and get over to the tree, and hopefully there will be some shade we can sit in."

They crossed the stable yard quickly and followed the fence line until they came to a wide gate. Volstagg opened it for them, and Loki patted at the thick grass, amused by its springy texture. As they walked across the pasture, a cloud of brightly colored butterflies erupted from a patch of wildflowers, startling Loki. 

"What are thossse thingsss? Are they dangerousss?" Loki whimpered, trying to hide from the strange creatures behind Thor's broad back.

"No, Your Highness, those are butterflies. They're quite harmless and lovely, and they help the flowers grow by spreading their pollen around," Eirik explained, trying hard not to smile.

"Pollen?" Loki asked curiously. "What isss that?"

Thor bent down and plucked a pink flower, holding it out for Loki to inspect. "See the golden powder inside? That's pollen. If the butterflies and other insects don't help spread it to other flowers, they won't be able to create more flowers, or trees, or fruits and vegetables."

Loki sniffed at the flower and sneezed mightily. "I'm not sssure I like thisss pollen very much. It makesss me want to sssneeze!"

Thor chuckled, tucking the flower behind his ear. "Don't any of the plants in your chambers grow flowers, Loki?"

The lindworm sneezed again. "Not many, they are mossstly jussst leavesss and vinesss. Nothing like thisss at all." A lone butterfly chose that moment to settle on the end of Loki's snout, and he froze, eyes wide as he watched the brilliant wings flutter, tickling his sensitive nostrils. The prince held his breath until the butterfly took wing and joined its fellows that had settled on another patch of wildflowers. "They are pretty, but they ssseem very fragile asss well," he observed.

"That's true," Thor agreed, deftly wiping a streak of pollen off of Loki’s snout. "When I was little, I loved to chase after butterflies, but my mother always told me to enjoy them with my eyes and not my hands. It was hard to obey sometimes, but I learned to appreciate their beauty without destroying it."

Loki chuckled at the thought of Thor as a small boy frolicking in a field of butterflies. "Your mother sssoundsss like a kind perssson. I wisssh I could have met her."

Thor smiled wistfully. "We talked about you often over the years, and she knew how much you meant to me, Loki. I'm sure she would have loved you as much as I do. Balder and Nanna will be happy to meet you, though."

"Do they sssussspect anything?" Loki hissed anxiously, vainly hoping that he and Thor wouldn't have to conceal their love, but realizing that it might be necessary for their safety.

"They know," said Thor, stroking his head reassuringly, hoping to soothe his lover's fears with his gentle touch. "Not all the juicy details, of course, but they know I love you, and they both want you to come to the farm and be part of the family."

Loki whimpered softly, thrusting his snout under Thor’s arm for reassurance. Unbeknownst to his lover, the prince secretly feared leaving his home, unhealthy and restrictive as it was; however, knowing that Thor’s brother and sister in law actually wanted him helped ease the sharp ache in his chest.

Thor gave the prince's neck a gentle squeeze, sensing his distress. "They want you, Loki. I want you. We'll show you what it's like to have a loving family."

Loki sighed happily, leaning into Thor’s embrace. "That sssoundsss wonderful, Thor," the lindworm hissed. "Perhapss even better than a basssket full of meat piesss."

Thor laughed and kissed his forehead. "Better than Hilda's meat pies? Are you sure about that, Loki?"

"Asss long asss you're with me…. then yesss, definitely better than meat piesss," Loki said, butting Thor gently with his horns. "But let'sss check, jussst to be sssure!"

****************

When they reached the oak tree, Thor laid out the blanket and sat down, while Loki gratefully collapsed next to him in the shade. Eirik brought them the basket and deftly unpacked its contents, placing them neatly on the blanket. Loki filched a meat pie as soon as they were laid out, and Thor grinned at the happy noises he made as he devoured it. Eirik shook his head in fond exasperation at the prince as he finished unpacking the basket. 

"I need to go check in with Her Majesty about the wedding plans, so I'll leave you here with Volstagg. I wouldn't keep Prince Loki out too long today, just to be on the safe side," said Eirik, setting the basket out of the way.

"Don't worry, Eirik, I'll take good care of him," Thor promised, stroking Loki's neck and making him hiss in contentment.

As Eirik left, Loki poked Thor's leg with his snout to get his attention. "Thor? Ssshould we asssk Volssstagg if he'd like sssomething to eat? There'sss plenty here to ssshare."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Loki," Thor beamed. "Volstagg, Prince Loki and I would be honored if you would join us for lunch."

The guard smiled and came over to the blanket. "Tis kind of ye tae offer. I suppose I'll have a wee bite then, if ye don't mind."

They all ate together in the shade of the oak tree, enjoying the food and each other's company. Volstagg spoke fondly about his grown children and his late wife, while Thor told funny stories about life on the farm and the mischief he and Balder had caused as children. Loki listened with wide eyes, fascinated by the glimpses of the kind of life he was just about to start, one filled with joy and companionship instead of loneliness and longing. He wished that he could skip ahead in time to their wedding day when he and Thor would become their own little family filled with love and laughter.

Once lunch was finished, Loki curled up in a loose ball, his head resting on Thor's lap. The warmth of the sun and his full belly had made him pleasantly sleepy, and his lover's lap was his favorite pillow whenever he wanted to nap. Thor smiled drowsily as Loki nuzzled around to find the perfect spot, grunting as the lindworm's horns bumped into his stomach. 

"Sssorry," Loki mumbled sleepily, and Thor patted his neck to let him know he was forgiven. Within moments, the prince had fallen fast asleep, the tip of his tail twitching slightly.

Thor smiled tenderly at the slumbering prince, even as he vainly fought to keep his own eyelids open. "I feel so sleepy, Volstagg. Will you be here until Eirik returns?" Thor whispered, trying not to disturb Loki. 

"Aye, I'll no' leave ye unguarded, lad," the bigger man promised him, and Thor relaxed and let the sun and gentle breeze lull him to sleep alongside his beloved.

*********************************

After dozing contentedly for a while, Thor opened his eyes and smiled at the sight before him. As the lovers had slept, the flock of butterflies had ranged themselves all along Loki's coils, their wings fluttering gently in the warm sunshine. Eirik and Volstagg sat nearby, talking softly as they waited for the lovers to awaken. Thor shifted slightly, trying to ease a cramped muscle in his thigh without waking Loki; however, the lindworm felt the movement and opened his brilliant green eyes.

"Thisss wasss a lovely idea, Thor," the prince murmured sleepily, raising his head from Thor's lap so he could lay it on his lover's broad chest instead. Thor grunted and threw his arm over Loki's neck, scratching idly under the lindworm's jaw. Loki twitched when Thor hit a particularly ticklish spot, and the butterflies took to the air in a swirl of blue and gold.

"Ah, good, you're both awake," Eirik said briskly, making his way over to the blanket. "Thor, Her Majesty would like you to come and be measured for your wedding clothes now. Loki, Volstagg will escort you back to your chambers for the time being. Once Thor is finished, you'll be next."

Loki growled discontentedly and dropped his head back down on top of Thor’s legs, preventing his lover from being able to stand up. "Not yet, Eirik," the lindworm hissed grumpily. "Let usss enjoy the sssun for a bit longer."

"The sooner the preparations are done, the easier it will be to proceed with the wedding," Eirik pointed out reasonably. "Plus, the court tailors are quite overwhelmed right now. We shouldn't make their tasks any more difficult than they already are."

"Eirik's right," Thor sighed, scratching around the base of Loki's horns. "Let's get this done quickly so we can see each other later on." 

"Very well," Loki grumbled as he pushed himself up from Thor's lap, long black claws digging into the dirt as he stretched out his coils to their full length. "I ssshall await you in my chambersss." He slouched away towards the castle with his tail dragging sadly through the grass. Volstagg followed behind the prince, his broad shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth.

Watching the prince slink away,, Eirik shook his head wryly. "He can be quite a handful when he doesn't get what he wants. I hope he won't act that way when he gets to your farm. "

"Oh, I'll keep him too busy with chores for him to have time to pout. I understand how he feels, though. I hate being measured for regular clothes, let alone some foolish court outfit," Thor snorted, helping Eirik gather up the remains of the picnic. "My mother had to bribe me with sweets as a child to get me to stand still for her, and I actually liked the clothes she made for me." 

"Well, here you are then," Eirik said, waving a piece of candied orange under his nose.

Thor laughed and took the treat, popping it in his mouth and licking the sugar from his lips appreciatively. "I guess I'm suitably bribed now, Eirik. Lead me to my doom," he quipped, dusting his sugary hands on his thighs.

Eirik rolled his eyes heavenwards. "You're nearly as bad as he is, Thor. I can see why you get along so well. Come, we shouldn't keep Her Majesty waiting." 


End file.
